Robert Shelby

Robert James Shelby

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the District of Utah

Tenure

2012 - Present

Years in position

12

Education

Bachelor's

Utah State Univ., 1944

Law

University of Virginia School of Law, 1948

Personal

Birthplace

Fort Atkinson, Wis.

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Robert James Shelby is the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah. He was confirmed to the United States District Court for the District of Utah by the U.S. Senate on September 21, 2012, and received commission on September 25, 2012. Shelby became chief judge in 2018.

Early life and education

Shelby earned his B.A. in 1994 from Utah State University and went on to earn his J.D. four years later from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Professional career

• 2012-present: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Utah
  • 2018-present: Chief judge
• 2011-2012: Shareholder, Snow, Christensen & Martineau
• 2005-2011: Partner, Burbridge Mitchell & Gross
• 2000-2005: Associate, Snow, Christensen & Martineau
• 1999-2000: Law Clerk, Hon. J. Thomas Greene, United States District Court for the District of Utah

Judicial career

District of Utah nomination

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Robert Shelby
Court: District of Utah
Progress
Confirmed 297 days after nomination.
ANominated: 11/30/2011
AABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
AHearing: 3/28/2012
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
AReported: 4/26/2012
AConfirmed: 9/22/2012

Obama nominated Shelby on November 30, 2011 to the United States District Court for the District of Utah to fill the vacancy left by Tena Campbell.

“	Throughout their careers, these nominees have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity. Their records of service to the public and the legal profession are distinguished and impressive and I am confident that they will serve the American people well from the United States District Court bench. I am honored to nominate them today.	”
—President Barack Obama,

Shelby was rated Unanimously Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 28, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.

On September 22, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Robert Shelby to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the District of Utah with a voice vote.

Shelby became chief judge in 2018.

Noteworthy cases

Utah's ban on same-sex marriage overturned (2013)

See also: United States District Court for the District of Utah (Kitchen, et al v. Herbert, et al, 2:13-cv-217)

On December 20, 2013, Judge Shelby struck down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage, declaring the statute unconstitutional. In the underlying case, three gay and lesbian couples filed suit on March 23, 2013, claiming that the state's voter-approved ballot referendum prohibiting same-sex marriage, as well as the state's failure to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside its boundaries, infringed upon their constitutional rights to due process and equal protection. On December 4, 2013, Shelby heard oral arguments on the case, where attorneys for the state defended its ban on same-sex marriage by offering evidence of Utah's interest in "responsible procreation" and an "optimal mode of child-rearing." Attorneys for the plaintiffs countered by arguing that choice of marriage partner is a constitutionally protected liberty interest. Two weeks later, Shelby struck down Utah's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional, finding that it "demean[ed] the dignity of ... same-sex couples for no rational reason."

On December 22, 2013, Utah filed an appeal of Shelby's ruling with the Tenth Circuit, along with a request for an emergency stay of Shelby's ruling to halt same-sex marriages pending the appeal. On December 24, 2013, the Tenth Circuit denied the stay. On December 31, 2013, Utah filed an emergency application for a stay of Shelby's ruling with the Supreme Court, where Justice Sonia Sotomayor is designated to handle such requests from states within the Tenth Circuit's jurisdiction. Gay marriage supporters asked that Sotomayor refuse to uphold Utah's ban, but on January 6, 2014, after she referred the matter to all nine justices of the high court, the Supreme Court blocked Shelby's decision pending the resolution of Utah's appeal. The Supreme Court's order is available here. On January 8, 2014, Utah announced that it would not recognize any of the same-sex marriages that were performed prior to the date the Supreme Court issued its stay, thus putting the unions into legal limbo.

See also

• United States District Court for the District of Utah

External links

• "President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the US District Court Bench" 11/30/2011

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the District of Utah 2012-Present	Succeeded by -

Federal judges nominated by Barack Obama
Nominated	Federal judges nominated by Barack Obama