Laurie Smith Camp

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Laurie Smith Camp
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Current Court Information:
United States District Court for the District of Nebraska
Title:   Chief Judge
Position:   Seat #3
Service:
Appointed by:   George W. Bush
Active:   10/24/2001 - Present
Chief:   2011 - Present
Preceded by:   William Cambridge
Personal History
Born:   1953
Home State:   Omaha, NE
Undergraduate:   Stanford U., B.A., 1974
Law School:   U. of Nebraska College of Law, J.D., 1977

Contents

Laurie Smith Camp is an Article III federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. She joined the court in 2001 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. Camp became the chief judge of the court in 2011.[1]

Early life and education

A native of Nebraska, Camp graduated from Stanford University with her Bachelor's Degree in 1974. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Law School in 1977.[2]

Professional career

Camp started her legal career in 1977 as a Associate General Counsel for First National Bank & Trust Company, a Nebraska bank. After serving as a bank attorney, Camp entered into private practice in 1978 in Nebraska. In 1980,Camp was appointed by Nebraska Governor Charles Thone to the position of General Counsel for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. She served in this position from 1980 to 1991, representing the agency in all legal matters and prisoner complaint lawsuits. In 1991, Camp was appointed, by outgoing Nebraska Governor Kay Orr, to the Civil Rights Section of the Nebraska Department of Justice. In 1995, until her appointment to the Federal Bench in 2001, Camp Served as the Chief Deputy Attorney General on Criminal Matters for the Nebraska Department of Justice[3].

Judicial career

District of Nebraska

On the recommendation of Senator Chuck Hagel, Camp was nominated by President George W. Bush on September 4, 2001, to a seat vacated by William Cambridge as Cambridge went on senior status. Camp was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 23, 2001 and received commission on October 24, 2001. Camp became the chief judge of the court in 2011.[3]

Notable cases

Lee County School District Racial Discrimination Case

  United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
     *Sharon Sanders v. Lee County School Dist. No. 1, et al 10-3240
On February 29, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit partially overturned a ruling of the Eastern District of Arkansas, finding the Lee County School District to be guilty of federal discrimination law. Sharon Sanders, a former school finance coordinator, took the district to court following her demotion and subsequent recommendation for dismissal on the basis of race discrimination. According to court records, Sanders and another administrator were demoted following an election where the school board became comprised of a majority of African American members. [4]


In the original suit, Sanders was awarded compensatory damages, lost wages, punitive damages, and attorney's fees by a jury. Upon appeal, a judge of the Eastern District of Arkansas revoked the lost wages and severely cut her award for attorney's fees. The ruling by the Eighth Circuit ordered new proceedings to determine fees for Sanders' attorney and punitive damages, but fundamentally agreed that she had been discriminated against on the basis of race. [4]


See also

External links

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by:
William Cambridge
District of Nebraska
2001–Current
Seat #3
Succeeded by:
NA


NebraskaNebraska Supreme CourtNebraska Court of AppealsNebraska District CourtsNebraska County CourtsNebraska Separate Juvenile CourtsNebraska Workers' Compensation CourtNebraska Workers' Compensation CourtNebraska Problem-Solving CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of NebraskaUnited States bankruptcy court, District of NebraskaUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eighth CircuitNebraska countiesNebraska judicial newsNebraska judicial electionsJudicial selection in NebraskaNebraskaTemplate.jpg
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