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Allison Jones Rushing

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Allison Jones Rushing
Rushing in 2022
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 21, 2019
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byAllyson K. Duncan
Personal details
Born
Allison Blair Jones

1982 (age 41–42)
Hendersonville, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Blake Rushing
​
(m. 2016)​
EducationWake Forest University (BA)
Duke University (JD)

Allison Blair Jones Rushing (born 1982)[1] is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit since March 2019.

Early life and education

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Born in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Rushing graduated from East Henderson High School in East Flat Rock, North Carolina.[2] Rushing studied music at Wake Forest University, graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, and was in Phi Beta Kappa. She then attended the Duke University School of Law, where she was an executive editor of the Duke Law Journal. She graduated in 2007 with a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude.[3][4]

Career

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In 2005, Rushing was a law student intern at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian nonprofit organization.[5][6] Rushing wrote or co-wrote several amicus briefs on behalf of ADF and spoke at a number of ADF events.[6] ADF has been criticized for opposing LGBT rights.[6] In 2007, Rushing had a summer law clerkship with the Department of Justice.[7]

After graduating from law school, Rushing clerked for then-Judge Neil Gorsuch of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 2007 to 2008 and Judge David B. Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2008 to 2009.[8][9]

From 2009 to 2010, Rushing was an associate at Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C. She clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States during the 2010–2011 term.[10][11][12] Following the end of her clerkship in 2011, Rushing rejoined Williams & Connolly in its Washington, D.C. office under Kannon Shanmugam. Rushing became a member of the Federalist Society in 2012.[1] She volunteered as a legal advisor to Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign.[7] Rushing was named partner at Williams & Connolly in January 2017. After being appointed to the Fourth Circuit, she left Williams & Connolly.[13][14][15]

Federal judicial service

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U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

On August 27, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Rushing to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.[14][16] Her official nomination was received on the same day by the United States Senate.[17] She was nominated to the seat being vacated by Allyson K. Duncan, who previously announced her intention to assume senior status upon the confirmation of her successor. On October 17, 2018, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[18] Rushing has argued that there are "both moral and practical" reasons to ban same-sex marriage.[19] During Rushing's confirmation hearing, she was questioned about her ties to the ADF. Rushing was asked if she would recuse herself from ADF-related cases if confirmed. She replied: "I would determine the appropriate action with the input of the parties, consultation of these rules and ethical canons, and consultation with my colleagues."[6] Asked about ADF being labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rushing said: "Hate is wrong, and it should have no place in our society. In my experience with ADF, I have not witnessed anyone expressing or advocating hate."[6]

On January 3, 2019, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Rushing for a federal judgeship.[20] Her nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[21] On February 7, 2019, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[22] On March 4, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 52–43 vote.[23] On March 5, 2019, Rushing was confirmed by a 53–44 vote.[24] At the time of her confirmation, she was the youngest federal judge in the United States.[25] Rushing received her judicial commission on March 21, 2019.[26][27]

On September 9, 2020, President Trump named Rushing as a potential choice to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy if one should open.[28] After the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, President Trump briefly considered nominating Rushing to replace her; however, he chose Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit instead.[29]

Personal life

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Rushing is a Baptist.[30] She is married to Blake Rushing.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Allison Jones Rushing" (PDF). Judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Graduates". Hendersonville Times-News.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "Giles Harris Winners 2003". Wake Forest University, College of Music. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "Class Notes—2004" (PDF). Wake Forest Magazine. Summer 2017. p. 88. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  5. ^ Jennifer Bendery (October 24, 2018). "Senate's Out? Nobody's Around? Perfect Time To Advance Trump's Court Picks, Says GOP". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Trump's new federal judge has ties to anti-gay 'hate group'". NBC News. March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Olson, Tyler (September 21, 2020). "Who is Allison Jones Rushing, possible Trump Supreme Court contender?". Fox News. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "Press release: Tillis & Burr Welcome Nomination of Allison Rushing As Judge for the Fourth Circuit". Office of North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  9. ^ "Letter in Support of Neil Gorsuch from Female Former Law Clerks" (PDF). United States Senate Judiciary Committee. March 20, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  10. ^ Lat, David (April 20, 2010). "Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Meet Justice Thomas's Clerks". Above the Law. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "Yarger '08 secures clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas". Duke Law School News. October 6, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  12. ^ Von Drehle, David (August 28, 2018). "Opinion: Democrats have themselves to blame for Trump's judicial juggernaut". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  13. ^ Gregg, Aaron (January 13, 2017). "Washington-area appointments and promotions for Jan. 16". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  14. ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Seventeenth Wave of Judicial Nominees". whitehouse.gov. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018 – via National Archives. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  15. ^ Murphy, Brian (September 11, 2018). "At 36, North Carolina native picked by Trump for lifetime appointment". The Charlotte Observer. McClatchy. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  16. ^ "Trump nominating N. Carolina native Rushing for 4th Circuit". The Charlotte Observer. Associated Press. August 28, 2018. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  17. ^ "PN2451 — Allison Jones Rushing — The Judiciary". United States Senate. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  18. ^ "Nominations – United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". Judiciary.senate.gov. October 17, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  19. ^ "SCOTUS Finalist Allison Jones Rushing Interned for Antigay Hate Group". Advocate.com. September 24, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  20. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via National Archives.
  21. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2019 – via National Archives.
  22. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019" (PDF). Senate Judiciary Committee. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  23. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Allison Jones Rushing, of North Carolina, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  24. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation Allison Jones Rushing, of North Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit)". United States Senate. March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  25. ^ "Five Women Trump is Considering for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court Seat". Wall Street Journal. September 21, 2020.
  26. ^ Allison Jones Rushing at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  27. ^ "Judge Allison Jones Rushing". Ca4.uscourts.gov. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  28. ^ Wise, Alana (September 9, 2020). "Trump Adds Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton To List Of Potential Supreme Court Picks". NPR.org. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  29. ^ Johnson, Carrie; Keith, Tamara (September 19, 2020). "Sources: Trump Considers Barrett, Lagoa, Rushing For Supreme Court Spot". NPR.org.
  30. ^ "The Supreme Court's evangelical blind spot". The Week. September 23, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2021.

Selected publications

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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
2019–present 		Incumbent
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