More About the Fabulous Jennifer Elrod
As we mentioned yesterday, Judge Jennifer W. Elrod, a state trial court judge in Texas, has been nominated to the Fifth Circuit. The Texas Lawyer has an interesting article about Judge Elrod:
Houston lawyers who have tried cases before [Judge Elrod] say she has earned a reputation as a fair and smart state district judge.“I think the most disappointing factor about her getting nominated is losing her off the bench in Harris County,” says Stephen Boutros, a Houston plaintiffs attorney.
“She often won’t rule in my favor, but it doesn’t matter,” says Boutros of Stephen Boutros LTD. “I would rate her the top judge I’ve ever been in front of. She understands the law. She can get a grasp of the issues in a matter of moments as if it were her own case.”
Boutros believes Elrod has the potential to follow in the footsteps of [Judge Patrick] Higgonbotham — a seasoned and respected judge who was a moderating force on the 5th Circuit — a court known as one of the most conservative federal appellate courts in the nation.
“She’s going to be an absolute centrist,” Boutros says. “She is intellectually honest and she’s not an ideologue.”
Judge Elrod sounds like a great pick. Our only disappointment: that President Bush didn’t nominate this Jennifer Elrod instead.
(But then again, in terms of qualifications for the Fifth Circuit, a JD from Harvard Law is probably more relevant than a 36D from Boobs ‘R Us.)
P.S. To those of you who think that we overuse the term “diva,” please note that we have NOT applied the term to Jennifer Elrod. Based on what we’ve heard, she’s extremely nice and down-to-earth, with a great sense of humor.
190th District Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod Nominated to 5th Circuit [Texas Lawyer]
Earlier: Some Judicial Nomination News
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Well, the "W" in her initial refers to "Walker."
Anybody know for sure if she is related to GHWB?
http://martindale.com/xp/Martindale/Lawyer_Locator/Search_Lawyer_Locator/search_result.xml?PG=0&STYPE=N&FNAME=&LNAME=walker&FN=&CN=&STS=&CRY=&ratind=&bc=1
All of these people are now suspect.
Kanchou, I'm sure if there's any relation, PFAW will dig it up and parade it around.
4:22 PM
I bring it up because it's had happened before.
http://www.abovethelaw.com/john_walker/
It's certainly common enough name. But based on what had been talked about on Volokh
http://www.volokh.com/posts/1175377678.shtml
What's uncommon is for state trail court judges to be directly appointed to Federal appellate court without some experience in either Federal district courts or state appellate courts. The second was that 40 years old is relatively young age for federal judges with life tenure those days.
I was too young when Judge John Walker was appointed to 2nd Circ., if PFAW had opposed it. But I don't remember much outcry either.
I am not either for or against Elrod's appointment, but some anomalies does make me wonder.
yuck! I mean "trial court" not "trail court"
I agree! So many others whose qualifications surpassed hers. Politics prevailed over qualifications in this nomination.
Part of Judge Elrod's appeal is her community service and her reputation among state and federal judges. State judge Mark Davidson, among others, have publicly made much of her work ethic (a la Rosenthal) and her hard-core judicial integrity. She had a great reputation as a federal law clerk in Houston, both with her judge (Sim Lake) and among other federal judges who knew her. Also, having a Harvard Law JD didn't hurt.
A number of women lawyers (clerks and lawyers) have commented on her as a role model for professional women raising families and managing careers.
(She's not related to the Walker family. I knew Judge Elrod when Bush was running for governor of Texas and she never mentioned it then, or when she was appointed to the state bench. Her parents are pretty much middle-class, down-to-earth Baytown, Texas types.)