Nancy Edmunds

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Nancy Edmunds
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Current Court Information:
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Title:   Senior Judge
Position:   Seat #6
Service:
Appointed by:   George H.W. Bush
Active:   2/10/1992 - 8/1/2012
Senior:   8/1/2012 - Present
Preceded by:   Richard Suhrheinrich
Personal History
Born:   1947
Home State:   Detroit, MI
Bachelors:   Cornell U., B.A., 1969
Law School:   Wayne State U. Law School, J.D., 1976
Grad. School:   U. of Chicago, M.A.T., 1971

Contents

Nancy Garlock Edmunds is an Article III federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She joined the court in 1992 after being nominated by President George H.W. Bush. On August 1, 2012, Judge Nancy Edmunds assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after serving on the bench for ten years. [1]

Early life and education

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Edmunds graduated cum laude with her Bachelor's degree from Cornell University in Ithaca in 1969. In 1971, Edmunds earned her Master of Arts in Education from the University of Chicago before earning her Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School in 1976. [2] [3]

Professional career

Edmunds was a law clerk for former federal judge Ralph Freeman in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan from 1976 to 1978. Edmunds was a private practice attorney in Detroit from 1978 to 1991.[2]

Judicial career

Eastern District of Michigan

Edmunds was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan by President George H.W. Bush on September 11, 1991 to a seat vacated by Richard Fred Suhrheinrich as Suhrheinrich was appointed to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Edmunds was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 6, 1992 on a Senate vote and received commission on February 10, 1992.[4] On August 1, 2012, Judge Nancy Edmunds assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan after serving on the bench for ten years. [5]

Notable cases

Kwame Kilpatrick corruption trial

  United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
In 2012 and 2013, Judge Edmunds presided over the corruption trial of former Mayor of Detroit, who was eventually convicted of twenty-four criminal counts. Among those to which Kilpatrick was found guilty were racketeering, extortion and bribery. [6] Following his conviction, attorneys for Kilpatrick requested that bond be granted so the criminal could visit his family before heading to federal prison. In return, Kilpatrick's mother offered her house as collateral to the government. The request for bond was denied by Judge Edmunds, since precedent dictated that he could not be trusted. She said, "Despite (Kilpatrick's) repeated argument that he has fully complied with the bond conditions set by this court … the evidence is to the contrary." [7][8]


Underwear bomber case

  United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
     *[ U.S. v. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab]
Edmunds presided in the case of underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was eventually given four life sentences for his attempt to bring a bomb onto a plane headed for Detroit.

On January 19, 2010, Judge Edmunds ordered that attorneys for both sides in the case of underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab cannot disclose pre-trial evidence to the public. Also, the Eastern District of Michigan U.S. Attorney's Office was ordered to not disclose witness statements in full except the names of the witnesses. Abdulmutallab was arrested for his role in the attempted hijacking plot of an international flight that made its descent towards Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport on December 25, 2009.[9][10]

On October 12, 2011, the second day of Abdulmutallab's trial, the defense changed its plea just as the first witness was about to be called. After being sworn in by Judge Edmunds, Abdulmutallab waived his right to remain silent and admitted being guilty of all eight of the felony charges brought against him. [11]

On February 16, 2012, Judge Edmunds sentenced Abdulmutallab to four life sentences. During the sentencing, she said, "I believe the defendant poses a significant ongoing threat to the safety of American citizens everywhere." [12]


See also

External links

References

Federal judicial offices
Preceded by:
Richard Suhrheinrich
Eastern District of Michigan
1992–2012
Seat #6
Succeeded by:
NA


MichiganMichigan Supreme CourtMichigan Court of AppealsMichigan Circuit CourtMichigan District CourtsMichigan Probate CourtsUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of MichiganUnited States District Court for the Western District of MichiganUnited States bankruptcy court, Eastern District of MichiganUnited States bankruptcy court, Western District of MichiganUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitMichigan countiesMichigan judicial newsMichigan judicial electionsJudicial selection in MichiganMichiganTemplate.jpg
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