William K. Sessions
This page is about the federal judge for the District of Vermont. If you are looking for information on the federal judge for the Western District of Texas, please see William Steele Sessions.
| William K. Sessions | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| United States District Court for the District of Vermont | |
| Title: | Judge |
| Position: | Seat #2 |
| Service: | |
| Appointed by: | Bill Clinton |
| Active: | 08/11/1995 - Present |
| Chief: | 2002 - 2010 |
| Preceded by: | Fred Parker |
| Personal History | |
| Born: | 1947 |
| Home State: | Hartford, CT |
| Undergraduate: | Middlebury College, B.A., 1969 |
| Law School: | George Washington U. Law, J.D., 1972 |
| Military service: | U.S. Army, 1972-1977 |
Contents |
William K. Sessions III is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Vermont. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on the recommendation U.S. Senator Patrick Lehay, receiving his commission in 1995. Between 2002 and 2010, Judge Session served as the Chief Judge of the District of Vermont. Prior to his judicial appointment, Session worked as both an Adjunct professor at the Vermont Law School from 1978 to 1995, and as Campaign Manager for Senator Lehay's U.S. Senate Campaign in 1992.[1]
Early life and education
Born 1947 in Hartford, Connecticut, Sessions graduated from Middlebury College with his Bachelor's Degree in 1969 and received a Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington University Law School in 1972. [1]
Professional career
Sessions started his career as a law clerk for District Judge Hilton Dier in the Addison County, Vermont State District Court in 1973, before serving as an Addison County Public Defender from 1974 to 1978. Between 1978 and 1995, Sessions worked in private practice in the State of Vermont. During that time, he also taught as an Adjunct Profession at the Vermont Law School. In 1992, Patrick Leahy tapped Session as the Campaign Manager for the "Patrick Leahy for U.S. Senate" Campaign in 1992.[1] Sessions has served as a Commissioner on the United States Sentencing Commission since 1999.[2]
Military service
Between 1972 and 1973, Sessions served on active duty as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army. He transfered to reserve status in 1974, where he remained until 1977.[1]
Judicial career
District of Vermont
On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Patrick Lehay, Sessions was nominated to the United States District Court for the District of Vermont by President Bill Clinton on June 30, 1995 to a seat vacated by Fred Parker as Parker was appointed to serve on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Sessions was confirmed by the Senate on August 11, 1995 on a Senate voice vote and received commission on August 14, 1995.[3] Judge Sessions served as Chief Judge of the District of Vermont between 2002 and 2010.[1]
Sessions is the chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, a position to which he was nominated by President Obama. He was confirmed to the post on October 21, 2009. Sessions served as vice-chair of the commission since 1999, when he was nominated by President Clinton, and 2003 when he was re-appointed by President Bush. [4]
Notable cases
Alleged Green Mountain Coffee accounting fraud
| United States District Court for the District of Vermont |
|---|
| Sessions dismissed a 2012 class action lawsuit filed by shareholders alleging that Green Mountain Coffee Inc. mislead shareholders through accounting fraud. The suit was filed after the company announced that it was being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a $9 million difference in its accounting numbers from 2006-2010. The company maintains that the difference constituted a series of small errors and not direct malpractice on their part. Sessions justified his decision, stating, "The fact that the restatement was a collection of several small mistakes, rather than a single, large error, also minimizes any fraudulent reading." The litigants have 30 days to revise and resubmit their claim with better justification.[5] |
See also
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Federal Judicial Center Biography
- ↑ "THOMAS" William K. Sessions US Sentencing Commission Member confirmation 1999:PN505-106; confirmation 2003:PN979-108; Chair Elect confirmation Scheduled:PN281-111
- ↑ "THOMAS" William K. Sessions USDC, VT confirmation: PN493-104
- ↑ Sentencing Commission Press Release "CHIEF JUDGE WILLIAM K. SESSIONS III CONFIRMED AS CHAIR OF UNITED STATES SENTENCING COMMISSION", October 21, 2009
- ↑ Burlington Free Press, "Federal judge dismisses lawsuit against Green Mountain Coffee Roasters" 1/30/2012
| Federal judicial offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Fred Parker |
District of Vermont 1995–Current |
Succeeded by: NA |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Christina Reiss • William K. Sessions | ||
| Senior judges | |||
| Magistrate judges | John Conroy • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
Nathaniel Chipman • Samuel Hitchcock • Elijah Paine • Samuel Prentiss • David Allen Smalley • James Oakes • Fred Parker • Hoyt Henry Wheeler • James Loren Martin • Harland Bradley Howe • Albert Coffrin • Ernest Gibson • James Holden • James Leamy • Bernard Leddy • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
William K. Sessions • John Murtha • Fred Parker • Franklin Billings • Albert Coffrin • Ernest Gibson • James Holden • Bernard Leddy • | ||
