Catherine Eagles
| Catherine Eagles | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina | |
| Title: | Judge |
| Position: | Seat #1 |
| Station: | Greensboro, NC |
| Service: | |
| Appointed by: | Barack Obama |
| Active: | 12/16/2010 - Present |
| Preceded by: | Norwood Tilley |
| Past post: | North Carolina Superior Courts, Superior Court Judge |
| Past term: | 1993 - 2010 |
| Personal History | |
| Born: | 1958 |
| Home State: | Memphis, TN |
| Bachelors: | Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), 1979 |
| Law School: | National Law Center, George Washington University, 1982 |
Contents |
Catherine C. Eagles is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. She was nominated to the court by President Obama on March 10, 2010 and confirmed by the Senate on December 16, 2010. [1]
Early life and education
Eagles received her B.A. from Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) in 1979.[2] She earned her J.D. from the National Law Center, George Washington University in 1982. [3]
Professional career
Until her elevation to the Middle District of North Carolina, Eagles was the senior resident judge for the Superior Court of Guilford County, North Carolina. She was the first woman to hold the position of senior resident judge for Guilford County. [4]
Judge Eagles was appointed to the Superior Court in 1993, elected in 1994 and re-elected in 1996 and 2004. Prior to her appointment Eagles practiced law with Smith Moore Leatherwood in Greensboro, NC with specialties in civil litigation, product liability and trade secrets. She became a partner with the firm in 1990. "From 1982 to 1984, Judge Eagles was a clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, first as a staff attorney in St. Louis, Missouri, and then for Circuit Judge J. Smith Henley in Harrison, Arkansas." [5][6]
Judicial career
Middle District of North Carolina
Eagles was one of three recommendations to President Obama from Senator Kay Hagan for a position on the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. [7] On March 10, 2010, Obama nominated Eagles to the Middle District of North Carolina, to fill the seat vacated by Norwood Tilley. [8] Obama said of the nomination, "I am honored to put forward [this] highly qualified candidate for the federal bench." [5]
In a statement Senator Hagan said, "She has a proven record of judicial fairness and my full support. I will be working with my colleagues to ensure a swift confirmation for Judge Eagles." [6]
The American Bar Association unanimously rated Eagles "Well Qualified". [9]
Judiciary Committee hearing
Eagles had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 16, 2010. [10] She was questioned by Senator Jeff Sessions on her whether she was inclined to adhere closely to federal criminal sentencing guidelines. She answered, "I’m used to working with guidelines. It gives framework for sentencing that is extremely helpful and useful, and I agree with my colleagues that I would definitely consult those in the first instance." [11] Senator Dianne Feinstein said to Eagles, "I have no doubt but that you’re going to be confirmed". [11] Eagles was reported by the Committee to the Senate on May 6, 2010.
Notable cases
Edwards alleged campaign violations
| Judge Eagles presided over the trial of former presidential candidate and senator John Edwards. He was accused of misusing funds from his 2008 presidential campaign to hide his mistress and child. A jury in North Carolina found Edwards not guilty on one charge of violating campaign finance law in May 2012. With the jury deadlocked on five other counts, Judge Eagles declared a mistrial and the U.S. Department of Justice eventually dropped its case against Edwards. [12] [13] |
See also
External links
- Anita Earls may be the perfect judge for Obama, July 22, 2009
- Congrats to Judge Catherine Eagles, December 27, 2005
- Obama is making judicial choices, not political picks, March 11, 2010
- Judge Catherine Eagles Biography from Federal Judicial Center
References
- ↑ Politco "Senate confirms judicial nominees", December 16, 2010
- ↑ Judge Catherine Eagles Biography from Federal Judicial Center.
- ↑ Eagles profile from the North Carolina judiciary website
- ↑ NC Bar Association "First Woman Senior Resident Judge in Guilford County" 2005
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 White House Press Release "President Obama Nominates Judge Catherine Eagles, Judge Kimberly Mueller and John J. McConnell, Jr. to the United States District Court", March 10, 2010
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 News-Record "Local judge tapped for federal seat", March 11, 2010
- ↑ News and Observer "Hagan submits names for judges" July 10, 2009
- ↑ White House Press Release "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate", March 10, 2010
- ↑ Judicial Nomination Materials
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee Meeting Notice, April 16, 2010
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 News-Record "Judiciary Committee questions nominee from Greensboro", April 20, 2010
- ↑ ABCNews.com, "John Edwards Won't Be Retried on Campaign Finance Charges," June 13, 2012
- ↑ Fox News.com, "Judge: John Edwards has serious heart condition" 1/13/2012
| Federal judicial offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Norwood Tilley |
Middle District of North Carolina 2010–Current Seat #1 |
Succeeded by: NA |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: William Osteen • James Beaty • Thomas Schroeder • Catherine Eagles | ||
| Senior judges | |||
| Magistrate judges | L. Patrick Auld • Joi Elizabeth Peake • Joe L. Webster • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
Johnson Jay Hayes • Frank Bullock • Richard Erwin • Eugene Gordon • William Osteen, Sr. • Lunsford Preyer • Edwin Stanley • Hiram Ward • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Norwood Tilley • Frank Bullock • Richard Erwin • Eugene Gordon • Edwin Stanley • Hiram Ward • | ||
