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Elizabeth Branch
2018 - Present
7
Elizabeth L. Branch is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. She was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on September 7, 2017, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a recorded vote of 73-23 on February 27, 2018.[1][2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit is one of 13 U.S. courts of appeal. They are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Before becoming a federal judge, Branch was a judge on the Georgia Court of Appeals from 2012 to 2018.
Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit (2018-present)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
Branch was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) on September 7, 2017, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. The [U.S. Senate]] confirmed Branch on a recorded vote of 73-23 on February 27, 2018.[1][2] She received commission on March 19, 2018.[3]
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Elizabeth L. Branch |
| Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 173 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: September 7, 2017
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: December 13, 2017
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: January 18, 2018
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| Confirmed: February 27, 2018
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| Vote: 73-23
|
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Branch on February 27, 2018, on a vote of 73-23.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
| Branch confirmation vote (February 27, 2018) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
 Democratic |
24 | 22 | 1 | ||||||
 Republican |
48 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
 Independent |
1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 73 | 23 | 4 | ||||||
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Branch's nomination on December 13, 2017.[4] The committee voted to advance her nomination to the full Senate on January 18, 2018.[1]
Nomination
President Donald Trump (R) nominated Branch to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on September 7, 2017. The nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2018.[4] The president renominated Branch on January 8, 2018.[1]
Branch was nominated to succeed Judge Frank Hull, who assumed senior status on December 31, 2017.
The American Bar Association unanimously rated Branch well qualified for the nomination.[5] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Georgia Court of Appeals (2012-2018)
- See also: Judges appointed by Nathan Deal
Branch was appointed to the Georgia Court of Appeals in July 2012 by Governor Nathan Deal (R). She assumed office on September 4, 2012. Branch won election to the court in 2014. She left the position after her confirmation as a federal judge. Her term would have expired on December 31, 2020.[6][7]
2014 election
- See also: Georgia judicial elections, 2014
Branch ran for re-election to the Georgia Court of Appeals. She won without opposition in the general election on May 20, 2014.[8][9]
Education
Branch received her B.A. from Davidson College in 1990 and her J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 1994.[7]
Professional career
- 2018 - Present: Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- 2012-2018: Judge, Georgia Court of Appeals
- 2008-2012: Private practice, Atlanta, Ga.
- 2004-2008: Associate general counsel for rules and legislation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- 1996-2004: Private practice, Atlanta, Ga.
- 1994-1996: Law clerk, Hon. Owen Forrester, United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia[6][7]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2012 Georgia Super Lawyer
Associations
- Past vice chair, American Bar Association's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice: Homeland Security and National Defense Committee
- Executive Board, Federalist Society Atlanta Lawyers Chapter
- 2013 appointee, Georgia Commission on Child Support
- Member, State Bar of Georgia's Appellate Practice Section
- Master, Lamar American Inn of Court
- Master, Bleckley American Inn of Court[6][7]
Noteworthy cases
Black Voters Matter Fund v. Raffensperger (2021)
On August 27, 2021, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit unanimously affirmed a lower court's decision finding that a Georgia law requiring voters to pay the price of postage for returning absentee/mail-in ballots does not constitute an illegal poll tax. The plaintiffs had argued that requiring absentee/mail-in voters to pay the price of postage amounted to levying a poll tax, violating the Fourteenth and Twenty-Fourth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The defendants (state and local election officials) moved to dismiss. A U.S. District Court granted the motion to dismiss, citing "[t]he fact that any registered voter may vote in Georgia on election day without purchasing a stamp, and without undertaking any 'extra steps' besides showing up at the voting precinct and complying with generally applicable election regulations." The plaintiffs then appealed to the Eleventh Circuit.[10]
The Eleventh Circuit panel—comprising Judges Elizabeth Branch (a Donald Trump (R) appointee), Britt Grant (another Trump appointee), and Edward Carnes (a George H.W. Bush (R) appointee)—unanimously affirmed the lower court's ruling. Branch, writing for the court, said, "While voting often involves incidental costs like transportation, parking, child care, taking time off work, and—for those who choose to vote absentee by mail—the cost of a postage stamp, those incidental costs do not mean that Georgia has imposed an unconstitutional poll tax or fee on its voters."[10]
In response to the ruling, Sean Young, legal director for the Georgia affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (which was involved in the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs), said, "We are disappointed in the outcome. The ACLU of Georgia will continue to protect the sacred fundamental right to vote." Regarding the possibility of an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, Young said, "All legal options remain on the table."[11]
Noteworthy events
Federal judges sign letter regarding hiring Columbia University students (2024)
On May 6, 2024, Branch and 12 other federal judges signed a letter to Columbia University saying they would not hire undergraduates or law students from the university, beginning with the entering class of 2024.[12]
In the letter, the judges said, "As judges who hire law clerks every year to serve in the federal judiciary, we have lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education."[13]
They signed the letter in the context of student demonstrations at Columbia University over the Israel-Hamas War. The students who participated in the demonstrations demanded that the university divest all of its finances from "companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."[14]
The judges said they believed the university should institute consequences for faculty and students who participated in the demonstrations. They also called on the university to practice "neutrality and nondiscrimination in the protection of freedom of speech" and "viewpoint diversity on the faculty and across the administration."[13]
The Washington Post reported that Dean of Columbia Law School Gillian Lester said in a statement that graduates are "consistently sought out by leading employers in the private and public sectors, including the judiciary." Lester did not directly address the letter.[12]
About the court
11th Circuit Court of Appeals
| Eleventh Circuit |
|---|
| Court of Appeals |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 12 |
| Judges: 12 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief: William Pryor |
| Active judges: Nancy Gbana Abudu, Elizabeth L. Branch, Andrew Brasher, Britt Grant, Adalberto Jordan, Embry Kidd, Barbara Lagoa, Robert J. Luck, Kevin C. Newsom, Jill Pryor, William Pryor, Robin Rosenbaum Senior judges: |
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit is a federal appellate court with appellate jurisdiction. It hears appeals from all of the circuit courts within its jurisdiction and its rulings may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. Appeals are heard in the Elbert P. Tuttle U.S. Court of Appeals Building in Atlanta.
The Eleventh Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over cases heard in one of its subsidiary districts. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. Appeals of rulings by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals are petitioned to the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Clarence Thomas is the circuit justice for the Eleventh Circuit.
The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:
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
- Search Google News for this topic
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
- Georgia Court of Appeals
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Congress.gov, "PN1404 — Elizabeth L. Branch — The Judiciary," accessed March 1, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump announces seventh wave of judicial candidates," September 7, 2017
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Branch, Elizabeth Lee," accessed July 20, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 United States Congress, "PN 997 — Elizabeth L. Branch — The Judiciary," accessed September 9, 2017
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 115th Congress," accessed October 24, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Office of the Georgia Governor, "Press Release: Deal names two to Georgia Court of Appeals," July 25, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Georgia Court of Appeals, "Elizabeth L. Branch," accessed May 10, 2015
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, "2014 Qualifying Candidates List," accessed March 19, 2014
- ↑ Georgia Secretary of State, “Statewide Election Results,” May 20, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, "Black Voters Matter Fund v. Raffensperger: Opinion," August 27, 2021
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Appeals court: Postage for absentee ballots isn’t a poll tax," August 27, 2021
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 The Washington Post, "Conservative judges say they will boycott Columbia University students," May 7, 2024
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Washington Post, "Letter to Columbia University," May 6, 2024
- ↑ Columbia University Apartheid Divest, "Demands," accessed May 14, 2024
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit 2018-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Georgia Court of Appeals -2018 |
Succeeded by - |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: William Pryor • Adalberto Jordan • Barbara Lagoa • Robin Rosenbaum • Jill Pryor • Elizabeth Branch • Robert J. Luck • Britt Grant • Kevin Newsom • Andrew Brasher • Embry Kidd • Nancy Gbana Abudu | ||
| Senior judges |
Stanley Marcus • Julie Carnes • Robert Lanier Anderson • Gerald Tjoflat • James Edmondson (Federal judge) • Joel Dubina • Susan Black (Eleventh Circuit) • Frank Hull • Charles Wilson (Florida) • Edward Carnes • | ||
| Former judges | Beverly Martin • Peter Fay • John Godbold • Phyllis Kravitch • Joseph Hatchett • Albert Henderson • Paul Roney • David Dyer • Elbert Tuttle • Thomas Clark (Eleventh Circuit) • Richard Rives • Robert Vance • Lewis Morgan • Emmett Cox • Stanley Birch • Rosemary Barkett • James Hill (Federal judge) • Warren Leroy Jones • John Bryan Simpson • Frank M. Johnson, Jr. • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
John Godbold • Robert Lanier Anderson • Gerald Tjoflat • Joseph Hatchett • James Edmondson (Federal judge) • Paul Roney • Joel Dubina • Edward Carnes • | ||
Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Southern District of Georgia
State courts:
Georgia Supreme Court • Georgia Court of Appeals • Georgia Superior Courts • Georgia State Courts • Georgia Business Court • Georgia Tax Court • Georgia Juvenile Courts • Georgia Probate Courts • Georgia Magistrate Courts • Georgia Municipal Courts
State resources:
Courts in Georgia • Georgia judicial elections • Judicial selection in Georgia
