Melinda Harmon

Melinda Harmon

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (senior status)

Tenure

2018 - Present

Years in position

6

Prior offices

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

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Education

Bachelor's

Harvard-Radcliffe College, 1969

Law

University of Texas Law, 1972

Personal

Birthplace

Port Arthur, Texas

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Melinda Harmon is a judge on senior status on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. She joined the court in 1989 after being nominated by President George H.W. Bush. She assumed senior status on March 31, 2018.

Early life and education

A native Texan, Harmon graduated from Radcliffe College with her bachelor's degree in 1969 and later graduated from the University of Texas School of Law with her Juris Doctor degree in 1972.

Professional career

• 1988-1989: Judge, Civil Division 280th District Court
• 1975-1989: Trial attorney for litigation section of ExxonMobil in Houston, Texas
• 1973-1975: Law clerk, Judge John Singleton of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Judicial career

Southern District of Texas

On the recommendation of Texas U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, Harmon was nominated by President George H.W. Bush on February 28, 1989, to a seat vacated by John Singleton. Harmon was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 18, 1989, on a senate vote and received commission on May 22, 1989. She assumed senior status on March 31, 2018.

Noteworthy cases

Inmate plot to murder federal judge (2009)

See also: United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (United States, v. Joel Lopez, Sr., 4:08-CR-187-2)

Judge Harmon was the presiding judge in the trial of Joel Lopez, Sr., who was convicted of starting a hire plot to attempt to take the life of federal Judge Ricardo Hinojosa. Judge Harmon sentenced Lopez to life in federal prison on October 26, 2009. Lopez was also serving a separate life sentence in federal prison for a unrelated drug conviction.

See also

• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

External links

• Judge Harmon's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by: John Singleton	Southern District of Texas 1989–2018 Seat #6	Succeeded by: Jeff Brown