Martin Feldman

Martin Feldman

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

Successor: Brandon Long

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Education

Bachelor's

Tulane University, 1955

Law

Tulane Law School, 1957

Personal

Birthplace

St. Louis, Mo.

Martin Leach-Cross Feldman was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He joined the court in 1983 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan (R). Feldman's service ended upon his death on January 26, 2022.

Feldman also served on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from May 19, 2010, until May 18, 2017.

Biography

Early life and education

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Feldman graduated from Tulane University with his bachelor's degree in 1955 and his J.D. in 1957.

Military service

Feldman served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1957 to 1963, attaining the rank of captain.

Professional career

• 1983-2022: Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
• 1959-1983: Private practice, New Orleans, La.
• 1957-1959: Law clerk, Hon. John Minor Wisdom, United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

Judicial career

Eastern District of Louisiana

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Martin L.C. Feldman
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Progress
Confirmed 22 days after nomination.
ANominated: September 12, 1983
AABA Rating:
Questionnaire:
AHearing: September 28, 1983
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
AReported: September 30, 1983
AConfirmed: October 4, 1983
AVote: Voice vote

Feldman was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana by President Ronald Reagan on September 9, 1983, to a seat vacated by Judge Jack M. Gordon. Hearings on Feldman's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 28, 1983, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) on September 30, 1983. Feldman was confirmed on a voice vote of the U.S. Senate on October 4, 1983, and he received his commission the next day.

Noteworthy cases

4 Aces Enterprises, LLC v. Edwards (2020)

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

4 Aces Enterprises, LLC v. Edwards: On August 17, 2020, Judge Martin Feldman, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, rejected a request by several New Orleans and Houma bar owners to declare Gov. John Bel Edwards’ (D) order closing bars in response to the COVID-19 pandemic unconstitutional. In their complaint, the bar owners challenged sections of Proclamations 89 JBE 2020 and 96 JBE 2020, arguing that the orders unconstitutionally failed to provide a rational basis for distinguishing between bars—which were shuttered—and restaurants that have bars within them, which were allowed to reopen. The bar owners alleged that the orders represented violations of due process, equal protection, and freedom from unlawful takings, under both the U.S. and Louisiana constitutions. In his order, Feldman, an appointee of Ronald Reagan (R), wrote, "Between democratically accountable state officials and a federal court, who decides what measures best protect Louisianans during a global pandemic? The answer is state officials." As a result, Feldman wrote, "the Court is compelled to conclude that Governor Edwards’ ban of on-site consumption of food or drinks at 'bars' bears a 'real or substantial relation' to the goal of slowing the spread of COVID-19 and is not 'beyond all question' a violation of the bar owners’ constitutional rights." Reacting to the decision, Gov. Edwards released a statement: "I am pleased that Judge Feldman upheld bar restrictions, which is one of the critical mitigation measures put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Louisiana to protect and save lives." On August 18, 2020, the bar owners filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Upholding of Louisiana's same-sex marriage ban (2014)

See also: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (Jonathan P. Robicheaus, Et al. v. James D. Caldwell, Louisiana Attorney General, Et al., 13-5090)

Judge Martin Feldman was the presiding judge in the case of Robicheaux v. Caldwell. On September 3, 2014, Feldman ruled that Louisiana's ban on same-sex marriage was constitutional. The judge found that public opinion does not establish a fundamental right to same-sex marriage. He went on to dismiss the argument that the law violated the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. He stated:

“

Even ignoring the obvious difference between this case and Loving, no analogy can defeat the plain reality that Louisiana's laws apply evenhandedly to both genders--whether between two men or two women.

”

Feldman drew heavily on tradition in his ruling, often referring to the definition of marriage as thousands of years old and the idea of same-sex marriage cannot be considered a fundamental right due to its relative newness.

See also

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
• United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
• Judge Feldman's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana 1983-2022	Succeeded by Brandon Long