Alice M. Batchelder
Encyclopedia
Alice Moore Batchelder is an American attorney
and jurist
. She currently is chief judge
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
and was considered by President George W. Bush
as a potential nominee
for a U.S. Supreme Court
seat that ultimately went to Justice Samuel Alito
. Her husband William G. Batchelder
is a former state Court of Appeals judge and a state legislator, who has served more than 30 years in the Ohio House of Representatives
and currently serves as Speaker of the House.
. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University
in 1964, where she met her future husband, William G. Batchelder. Batchelder received her Juris Doctor
(law degree) from the University of Akron School of Law
in 1971, and her Master of Laws
(LL.M.) degree from the University of Virginia
in 1988.
Batchelder briefly taught English
and had a private legal practice from 1971 to 1983 in Medina, Ohio
, near Cleveland
.
for the Northern District of Ohio. On February 28, 1985, President
Ronald Reagan
appointed Batchelder to a new district judge position, created by 98 Stat. 333, on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate
on April 3 and received her commission on April 4. On June 12, 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated Batchelder to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
to the seat vacated by Frederick Pierce Lively. She was confirmed by the Senate on November 27 and received her commission on December 2. Batchelder's service on the district court position was officially terminated on January 4, 1992, due to her appointment to the court of appeals. On August 14, 2009, she became Chief Judge of the Sixth Circuit.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
. She currently is chief judge
Chief judge
Chief Judge is a title that can refer to the highest-ranking judge of a court that has more than one judge. The meaning and usage of the term vary from one court system to another...
of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
and was considered by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
as a potential nominee
Bush Supreme Court candidates
Speculation abounded over potential nominations to the Supreme Court of the United States by President George W. Bush since before his presidency....
for a U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
seat that ultimately went to Justice Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and has served on the court since January 31, 2006....
. Her husband William G. Batchelder
William G. Batchelder
William G. Batchelder, III is an American lawyer, judge, and politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. He is a Republican.He is the husband of Judge Alice Batchelder, currently a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.-Early life and education:Batchelder was born...
is a former state Court of Appeals judge and a state legislator, who has served more than 30 years in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
and currently serves as Speaker of the House.
Education and early career
Batchelder was born Alice Moore in Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
in 1964, where she met her future husband, William G. Batchelder. Batchelder received her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(law degree) from the University of Akron School of Law
University of Akron School of Law
The University of Akron School of Law is the law school at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, USA. Offering both the J.D. and LL.M. degrees, it was founded in 1921 as the Akron School of Law and merged with the University of Akron in 1959, becoming fully accredited by the American Bar...
in 1971, and her Master of Laws
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LL.M.) degree from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
in 1988.
Batchelder briefly taught English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and had a private legal practice from 1971 to 1983 in Medina, Ohio
Medina, Ohio
In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males...
, near Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Judicial career
In 1983, Batchelder was appointed a judge of the United States bankruptcy courtUnited States bankruptcy court
United States bankruptcy courts are courts created under Article I of the United States Constitution. They function as units of the district courts and have subject-matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy cases. The federal district courts have original and exclusive jurisdiction over all cases arising...
for the Northern District of Ohio. On February 28, 1985, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
appointed Batchelder to a new district judge position, created by 98 Stat. 333, on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio is the federal trial court for the northern half of Ohio...
. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on April 3 and received her commission on April 4. On June 12, 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated Batchelder to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
to the seat vacated by Frederick Pierce Lively. She was confirmed by the Senate on November 27 and received her commission on December 2. Batchelder's service on the district court position was officially terminated on January 4, 1992, due to her appointment to the court of appeals. On August 14, 2009, she became Chief Judge of the Sixth Circuit.