Tiffany Cartwright | |
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Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington | |
Assumed office July 18, 2023 | |
Appointed by | Joe Biden |
Preceded by | Benjamin Settle |
Personal details | |
Born | 1985 (age 38–39) Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
Education | Stanford University ( BA, JD) |
Tiffany Mae Cartwright (born 1985) [1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. [2]
Cartwright was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Kitsap County. [3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 2007, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 2010, where she was a member of the Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. [4] [1] She was co-editor in chief of Stanford Law & Policy Review in 2009 and 2010. [1] During law school, Cartwright worked at the federal public defender office in Seattle and at the United States Department of Justice Public Integrity Unit. [3] She also worked as a research assistant for Michael W. McConnell. [1]
From 2010 to 2012, Cartwright served as a law clerk for Judge Dana Fabe of the Alaska Supreme Court and for Betty Binns Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. [5] [6] From 2012 to 2014, she was an associate at Jenner & Block in Chicago. [1] [7] In 2014, she joined the law firm MacDonald Hoague & Bayless in Seattle, became a partner in 2018 until she was commissioned as a federal judge. [8] [9]
In 2017, Cartwright represented the family of Leonard Thomas in connection with claims that he had been wrongfully killed by the Lakewood police department. Following trial, a jury sided with Thomas and awarded Thomas's family $15 million in damages. [10] [11] [12] [13]
In 2020, Cartwright represented the family of 17 year-old MiChance Dunlap-Gittens, who was killed by King County police in a case of mistaken identity, and won a $2.25 million settlement. [14] [15] [3]
In 2021, Cartwright served as pro bono Washington state counsel for the Campaign Legal Center in Aguilar v. Yakima County, a case litigated under the Washington Voting Rights Act. [16]
Cartwright represented several exonerees: a group of men in Fairbanks, Alaska, known as The Fairbanks Four, who spent seventeen years in prison before their exoneration for murder in 2015; [3] Paul Browning, a capital defendant, obtaining his release in 2019 after 33 years on Nevada's death row; and Rodney Wheeler, who was wrongfully accused of homicide and received a $500,000 settlement from King County in 2021. [17]
On January 19, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Cartwright to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. [18] The nomination came as part of the Biden administration's larger push to nominate judges with diverse backgrounds and identities. [18] [19] President Biden nominated Cartwright to the seat vacated by Judge Benjamin Settle, who assumed senior status on January 1, 2020. [20] At the time she was nominated she was President Biden's youngest judicial nominee, but between her initial nomination and confirmation she was surpassed by Brad Garcia ( D.C. Cir.) and Jamar K. Walker ( E.D. Va.). [21]
On May 25, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. [22] On June 16, 2022, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote. [23] In addition to all Democrats on the committee, Cartwright received the support of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. [24] On January 3, 2023, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the Senate; she was renominated later the same day. [25] On February 2, 2023, her nomination was reported out of the committee by an 11–9 vote. [26] On July 11, 2023, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 49–42 vote. [27] On July 12, 2023, her nomination was confirmed by a 50–47 vote. [28] [29] She received her judicial commission on July 18, 2023. [30] She was sworn in on August 30, 2023. [31]
Tiffany Cartwright | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington | |
Assumed office July 18, 2023 | |
Appointed by | Joe Biden |
Preceded by | Benjamin Settle |
Personal details | |
Born | 1985 (age 38–39) Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
Education | Stanford University ( BA, JD) |
Tiffany Mae Cartwright (born 1985) [1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. [2]
Cartwright was born in Lansing, Michigan, and grew up in Kitsap County. [3] She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in 2007, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 2010, where she was a member of the Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. [4] [1] She was co-editor in chief of Stanford Law & Policy Review in 2009 and 2010. [1] During law school, Cartwright worked at the federal public defender office in Seattle and at the United States Department of Justice Public Integrity Unit. [3] She also worked as a research assistant for Michael W. McConnell. [1]
From 2010 to 2012, Cartwright served as a law clerk for Judge Dana Fabe of the Alaska Supreme Court and for Betty Binns Fletcher of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. [5] [6] From 2012 to 2014, she was an associate at Jenner & Block in Chicago. [1] [7] In 2014, she joined the law firm MacDonald Hoague & Bayless in Seattle, became a partner in 2018 until she was commissioned as a federal judge. [8] [9]
In 2017, Cartwright represented the family of Leonard Thomas in connection with claims that he had been wrongfully killed by the Lakewood police department. Following trial, a jury sided with Thomas and awarded Thomas's family $15 million in damages. [10] [11] [12] [13]
In 2020, Cartwright represented the family of 17 year-old MiChance Dunlap-Gittens, who was killed by King County police in a case of mistaken identity, and won a $2.25 million settlement. [14] [15] [3]
In 2021, Cartwright served as pro bono Washington state counsel for the Campaign Legal Center in Aguilar v. Yakima County, a case litigated under the Washington Voting Rights Act. [16]
Cartwright represented several exonerees: a group of men in Fairbanks, Alaska, known as The Fairbanks Four, who spent seventeen years in prison before their exoneration for murder in 2015; [3] Paul Browning, a capital defendant, obtaining his release in 2019 after 33 years on Nevada's death row; and Rodney Wheeler, who was wrongfully accused of homicide and received a $500,000 settlement from King County in 2021. [17]
On January 19, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Cartwright to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. [18] The nomination came as part of the Biden administration's larger push to nominate judges with diverse backgrounds and identities. [18] [19] President Biden nominated Cartwright to the seat vacated by Judge Benjamin Settle, who assumed senior status on January 1, 2020. [20] At the time she was nominated she was President Biden's youngest judicial nominee, but between her initial nomination and confirmation she was surpassed by Brad Garcia ( D.C. Cir.) and Jamar K. Walker ( E.D. Va.). [21]
On May 25, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. [22] On June 16, 2022, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote. [23] In addition to all Democrats on the committee, Cartwright received the support of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. [24] On January 3, 2023, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the Senate; she was renominated later the same day. [25] On February 2, 2023, her nomination was reported out of the committee by an 11–9 vote. [26] On July 11, 2023, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 49–42 vote. [27] On July 12, 2023, her nomination was confirmed by a 50–47 vote. [28] [29] She received her judicial commission on July 18, 2023. [30] She was sworn in on August 30, 2023. [31]