Ada Brown

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Ada Brown
Image of Ada Brown

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

5

Prior offices
Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals Place 3

Education

Bachelor's

Spelman College, 1996

Law

Emory University School of Law, 1999 

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Ada Elene Brown is a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. On March 26, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Brown to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Brown on September 11, 2019, by a vote of 80-13.[1] She received commission on September 13, 2019.[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is one of 94 U.S. district courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Although federal judgeships are officially nonpartisan, Brown is a member of the Republican party. She was a Republican justice on the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Texas from 2013 to 2019. Governor Rick Perry (R) appointed Brown on September 3, 2013.[3] Before joining the appellate court in 2013, Brown was an attorney with the firm of McKool Smith.

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On March 26, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Brown to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The U.S. Senate confirmed Brown on September 11, 2019, by an 80-13 vote.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Ada E. Brown
Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Progress
Confirmed 169 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: March 26, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: April 30, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: June 13, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: September 11, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 80-13

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Brown on September 11, 2019, on a vote of 80-13.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Brown confirmation vote (September 11, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 27 13 5
Ends.png Republican 52 0 1
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 80 13 7
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Brown was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[4]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[5]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[6] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Brown's nomination on April 30, 2019. The committee voted 18-4 on June 13, 2019, to advance her nomination to the full Senate.[7]

Nomination

On March 15, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Brown to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.[8] The U.S. Senate officially received the nomination on March 26.[1]

Brown was nominated to succeed Judge Terry Means, who assumed senior status on July 3, 2013.[1]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Brown well qualified for the position.[9] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals (2013-2019)

See also: Judges appointed by Rick Perry

Brown was a Republican justice on the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Texas from 2013 to 2019. Governor Rick Perry (R) appointed Brown on September 3, 2013.[3] She was re-elected without opposition in 2014 for a term that expires on December 31, 2020.[10]

2014 election

See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014

Brown ran for re-election to the Fifth District Court of Appeals.
Primary: She ran unopposed in the Republican primary on March 4, 2014.
General: She won without opposition in the general election on November 4, 2014.[10][11] 

Early life and education

Brown was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1974. She is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.[12]

Brown earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Spelman College in 1996 and her J.D. from the Emory University School of Law in 1999.[3][12]

Career

Brown has experience as an adjunct professor at the Southern Methodist University School of Law. She also served as a commissioner on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education and for the Texas Department of Public Safety.[8][3][12]

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2014: Yellow Rose of Texas Award
  • 2013: Honorary Texas Ranger Captain Award
  • 2005, 2012, 2013: Texas Monthly Magazine's Super Lawyers Rising Star[12]

Associations

  • Member, Mensa
  • Member, Dallas Bar Association
  • Member, Dallas Bar Foundation
  • Member, Dallas Women Lawyers Association
  • Member, Collin County Bar Association
  • Member, Collin County Women Lawyers Association
  • Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
  • Member, SCRIBES American Society of Legal Writers
  • Member, National Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, Federalist Society[12][13]

About the court

Northern District of Texas
Fifth Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 12
Judges: 11
Vacancies: 1
Judges
Chief: David Godbey
Active judges: Jane Boyle, Ada Brown, David Godbey, James Wesley Hendrix, Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, James Kinkeade, Sam Lindsay, Reed O'Connor, Mark Pittman, Karen Gren Scholer, Brantley Starr

Senior judges:
Sam Cummings, A. Joe Fish, Sidney Fitzwater, Barbara Lynn, Robert Maloney, Terry Means


The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based in downtown New Orleans at the John Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Northern District of Texas has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The Northern District of Texas has jurisdiction over 100 counties in the Northern and Central parts of the state of Texas. There are seven court divisions. The court's headquarters are in Dallas with divisions in Fort Worth, Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo, and Wichita Falls.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links


Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Congress.gov, "PN524 — Ada E. Brown — The Judiciary," accessed March 27, 2019
  2. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Brown, Ada Elene," accessed September 16, 2019
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 McKool Smith, "McKool Smith Attorney Ada Brown Appointed as Justice of Texas 5th Court of Appeals," September 3, 2013
  4. ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  5. ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  6. ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  7. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 13, 2019
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees," March 15, 2019
  9. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 116th Congress," accessed June 17, 2019
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (A-L)"
  11. ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)" (Search "Collin")
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Ada Elene Brown," accessed April 30, 2019
  13. ↑ "Information submitted via Judgepedia's biographical submission form on April 2, 2014"

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
2019-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals Place 3
2013-2019		 Succeeded by
-


Texas courts

Federal courts:

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas

State courts:

Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts

State resources:

Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas

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