Barbara Keenan

Barbara Keenan
Current Court Information:
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Title:	Judge
Service:
Appointed by:	Barack Obama
Approval vote:	99-0
Active:	3/2/2010 - Present
Preceded by:	Hiram Widener
Past post:	Supreme Court of Virginia
Past term:	1991-2010
Personal History
Born:	1950
Home State:	Vienna, Austria
Bachelors:	Cornell U.
Law School:	George Washington U. '74
Grad. School:	U. of Virginia Law '92 (L.L.M.)

Barbara Milano Keenan (b. 1950) is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She was appointed to the court by President Barack Obama.

Previous to her appointment to the Fourth Circuit, Keenan was a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by Democratic Governor Wilder in 1991 and her final term would have ended on June 30, 2015 but for her elevation to the federal courts.

Early life and education

A graduate of Cornell University, Justice Keenan earned her J.D. from George Washington University (1974) and her L.L.M. from the University of Virginia School of Law (1992).

Professional career

Justice Keenan served as the Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for Fairfax County from 1974 to 1976. In 1980, she served as Judge in the General District Court of Fairfax County from 1980 to 1982, and in 1982, became Judge on the Circuit Court where she stayed until 1985. From 1985 to 1991, Keenan served as Judge on the Virginia Court of Appeals, and in 1991, became a Supreme Court Justice, where she served until 2010.

Federal judgeship nomination

President Obama has nominated Judge Keenan for a federal judgeship on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Keenan was recommended to the President for nomination by Senators Jim Webb and Mark R. Warner on June 2, 2009. The Senate confirmed her nomination 99-0 on March 2, 2010 and Keenan received her commission on March 9, 2010.

Judiciary Committee hearing

Keenan's Public Questionnaire Available Here

Questions for the Record Available Here

Keenan had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 7, 2009.

Awards and associations

In 2004, Justice Keenan was recognized by a bipartisan legal reform group, Common Good, with the "Gatekeeper Awards." The award "highlights the appropriate role of judges in determining who can sue for what." The case that earned her the award was "Donna P. Thurmond v. Prince William Professional Baseball Club, Inc., No. 020116, Supreme Court of Virginia, January 10, 2003," which ruled that a spectator at a baseball event could not sue for injuries sustained from a foul ball.

See also

• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

External links

• Website of the Fourth Circuit
• Website of the Supreme Court of Virginia

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by: Hiram Widener	Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals 2010–present	Succeeded by: NA

This page is missing notable case information.

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