John Keenan

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John Keenan
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Current Court Information:
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Title:   Senior Judge
Position:   Seat #17
Station:   New York, NY
Service:
Appointed by:   Ronald Reagan
Active:   09/20/1983 - 12/30/1996
Senior:   12/31/1996 - Present
Preceded by:   Lloyd MacMahon
Succeeded by:   Colleen McMahon
Personal History
Born:   1929
Home State:   New York, NY
Undergraduate:   Manhattan College, B.B.A., 1951
Law School:   Fordham U. Law, LL.B., 1954
Military service:   U.S. Army 1954 - 1956

Contents

John Fontaine Keenan is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. He joined the court in 1983 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan. He is serving on senior status.

Early life and education

Born in New York, New York, Keenan graduated from Manhattan College with his Bachelor's degree in 1951 and later from Fordham University Law School with his Bachelor in Laws degree in 1954.[1]

Professional career

Keenan served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. Keenan served as an Assistant District Attorney for New York County, New York from 1956 to 1976. During that time, Keenan was in charge of New York County's Supreme Court Bureau briefly from 1968-1969, and later in charge of the Homicide bureau from 1970 to 1973. Keenan served as Chief Assistant District Attorney of Queens County New York in 1973, and was the Assistant District Attorney in charge of trials for New York County in 1974. Thereafter, Keenan was appointed to serve as Chief Assistant District Attorney for New York County from 1974 to 1976. As New York State Deputy Attorney General, Keenan served as a Special Prosecutor in charge of the anti-corruption division from 1976 to 1979. From 1979 to 1982, Keenan was Chairman and President of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation. Just prior to his appointment as a federal judge, Keenan was briefly the Criminal Justice Coordinator for New York City from 1982 to 1983. [1]

Judicial career

Southern district of New York

On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Al D'Amato, Keenan was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by President Ronald Reagan on September 13, 1983 to a seat vacated by Lloyd MacMahon. Keenan was confirmed by the Senate on September 20, 1983 on a Senate vote and received commission on September 20, 1983. Keenan assumed senior status on December 31, 1996.[1]

Notable cases

A notable case on this page needs to be updated.



Fosamax case

Judge Keenan is presiding in a class-action lawsuit over the osteoporosis drug Fosamax. Lawyers on behalf of the family of a Florida woman who died from the drug sued Merck, the manufacturer of the drug for negligence and wrongful death. On September 8, 2009, the jury was deadlocked on reaching a verdict and the judge gave the members of the jury more time to come to a conclusion in a case that could set precedence for 800 other similar cases involving the drug nationwide.[2] In November of 2009, the judge dismissed the case.

On January 29, 2010, Judge Keenan refused to dismiss the case after Merck asked for summary judgment to dismiss the case filed by the family of an Indiana woman who died from the drug. As part of the judge's ruling the trial will begin on April 19, 2010. The ruling in this case will determine the fate of over 800 similar cases in the nation as the judge has consolidated many of 800 separate cases against Merck, the drug's manufacturer.[3]

See also

External links

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by:
Lloyd MacMahon
Southern District of New York
1983–1996
Succeeded by:
Colleen McMahon


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