Brian Jackson (Louisiana)
2010 - Present
15
Brian Anthony Jackson is a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Jackson was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama in October of 2009. He was confirmed by the Senate on June 15, 2010. Jackson served as chief judge from 2011 to 2018.[1]
Early life and education
Jackson earned his B.S. in 1982 from Xavier University of Louisiana, his J.D. in 1985 from Southern University, and his L.L.M. in 2000 from Georgetown University.[2]
Professional career
- 2002-2010: Private Practice, New Orleans, Louisiana
- 1998-1999: Associate Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
- 1994-2002: First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Middle District of Louisiana
- 2001: Interim U.S. Attorney
- 1992-1994: Assistant Director, Evaluation and Review of Staff, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice
- 1988-1992: Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana
- 1990: Assistant U.S. Attorney
- 1985-1988: Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of Justice
Judicial career
Middle District of Louisiana
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Middle District of Louisiana |
| Court: Brian Jackson |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 229 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: October 29, 2009
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: February 24, 2010
|
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: March 18, 2010
|
| Confirmed: June 15, 2010
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| Vote: 96-0
|
Jackson was nominated for a seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana by President Obama on October 29, 2009.[2][3] His nomination was sent to the Senate, which had final approval over it.[4]
He received a unanimous rating of Well Qualified from the American Bar Association.
Jackson was recommended to the President by Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), who called him an "exemplary public servant with a distinguished record as an attorney and prosecutor".[5]
Judiciary Committee hearing
Jackson had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 24, 2010. Only two of the committee's 19 members were present, and only Jeff Sessions asked a question. Sessions questioned Jackson on his opinion of federal sentencing guidelines. Jackson replied saying that, "they are absolutely essential to the system,"[6]
Senate confirmation
On June 15, 2010, Jackson was confirmed by the Senate.[7]
Noteworthy cases
Federal judge holds Black Lives Matter social movement can't be sued (2017)
On September 28, 2017, Judge Brian Jackson dismissed a lawsuit filed against Black Lives Matter and against #blacklivesmatter for failing "to state a plausible claim for relief against an individual or entity that both has the capacity to be sued and falls within the precisely tailored category of persons that may be held liable for his injuries, which he allegedly suffered during activity that was otherwise constitutionally protected." Judge Jackson noted,[8]
| “ |
The Court judicially notices that 'Black Lives Matter,' as that term is used in the Complaint, is a social movement that was catalyzed on social media by the persons listed in the Complaint in response to the perceived mistreatment of African-American citizens by law enforcement officers. ... Because 'Black Lives Matter,' as that term is used in the Complaint, is a social movement, rather than an organization or entity of any sort, its advent on social media merely was a 'fortuitous creation of a community of interest'; 'Black Lives Matter' was not created through a 'contract of association' and is not an 'entity whose personality 'is distinct from that of its members,' and therefore it is not a 'juridical person' that is capable of being sued.[9] |
” |
In a footnote, Judge Jackson, in dismissing the plaintiff's claim against #blacklivesmatter stated, "The Court notes that if Plaintiff were not bearing his own costs, which otherwise would be borne by the taxpayers, 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(i) would permit the Court to dismiss this claim as 'frivolous': a lawsuit that alleges that a hashtag – which is, in essence, an idea – is liable in tort for damages can be properly categorized as 'fantastic or delusional.'[8]
Louisiana's death row inmates subjected to inhumane conditions (2013)
- See also: United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana (Ball, et al v. LeBlanc, et al, 13-00368-BAJ-SCR)
- See also: United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana (Ball, et al v. LeBlanc, et al, 13-00368-BAJ-SCR)
On December 19, 2013, Chief Judge Jackson ruled that death row inmates' constitutional rights at the Louisiana State Penitentiary were being violated because of their inhumane treatment, which rose to the level of cruel and unusual punishment. In the underlying case, three inmates filed suit in June 2013, alleging that they were forced to endure extreme conditions in their cells during the summers when temperatures rose to more than 100 degrees. The prison's death row is the only area of the facility that is not air-conditioned. One week after filing suit, the plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to keep the temperatures at a reasonable level. The court instituted a monitoring period, and during that time, a prison official attempted to manipulate the temperatures to make it seem cooler than it actually was. Aside from that occasion, prison guards reportedly acted with "deliberate indifference" to the prisoners' plight. Jackson found the inmates' allegations of cruelty to be substantial enough to rise to the level of an Eighth Amendment violation, and ordered that officials at the Penitentiary develop a plan to reduce the heat in the death row cells to a temperature of 88 degrees or below. He further ordered that death row prisoners be afforded one cold shower per day and access to ice and cold drinking water throughout the day, noting that "financial considerations [would] not be considered a legitimate reason for Defendants’ failure to comply with [his] order," because their "purported financial hardships 'can never be an adequate justification for depriving any person of his constitutional rights.'" Jackson further ruled that his order applied to all death row inmates, not just the ones who brought suit. Prison officials indicated that they would likely appeal the ruling to the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.[10][11]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Brian Anthony Jackson biography from the Federal Judicial Center, accessed December 11, 2013]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 White House Press Release "President Obama Nominates William Conley and Brian Jackson to Serve on the District Court Bench," October 29, 2009
- ↑ Associated Press "Obama nominates New Orleans lawyer Brian Jackson for federal bench," October 30, 2009
- ↑ White House Press Release "Presidential nominations & withdrawal sent to the Senate," October 29, 2009
- ↑ Landrieu Press Release "President Obama Nominates Brian Jackson to Be U.S. District Court Judge in Middle District," October 29, 2009 (dead link)
- ↑ The Advocate, "La. judicial nominee breezes through hearing," February 25, 2010
- ↑ Inside Louisiana News, "Senate Confirms Louisiana Judicial Nominees Jackson, Foote," June 16, 2010
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, John Doe v. Deray McKesson et al., September 28, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Digital Journal, "Federal judge: Louisiana death row inmates endure deadly heat," December 23, 2013
- ↑ Times Picayune, "Judge rules heat levels on Angola death row subject inmates to 'cruel and unusual punishment'," December 19, 2013
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana 2010-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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| Nominated | |||
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana
State courts:
Louisiana Supreme Court • Louisiana Courts of Appeal • Louisiana District Courts • Louisiana City Courts • Louisiana Family Courts • Louisiana Justice of the Peace Courts • Louisiana Juvenile Courts • Louisiana Mayor’s Courts • Louisiana Municipal Courts • Louisiana Parish Courts • Louisiana Traffic Courts
State resources:
Courts in Louisiana • Louisiana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Louisiana
