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Sharon L. Gleason
2012 - Present
13
Sharon L. Gleason is the chief judge on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. She joined the court on January 4, 2012, after a nomination from President Barack Obama (D). She became chief judge of the court on January 1, 2022, succeeding Timothy Burgess. Prior to her nomination to the District of Alaska, she was the presiding judge for the Third Judicial District Superior Court in Anchorage, Alaska.[1][2]
Early life and education
Gleason earned her Bachelor of Arts, Magna cum Laude from Washington University, St. Louis in 1979 and her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law in 1983.[2][3][4]
Professional career
Judge Gleason clerked for Justice Edmond W. Burke from 1983 to 1984. From 1984 to 1989, she was an associate attorney with Rice, Volland & Taylor, P.C. From 1995 to 2000, Gleason was a sole practitioner, general civil practice.[3][2]
Judicial career
District of Alaska
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Sharon L. Gleason |
| Court: District of Alaska |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 223 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: 4/6/2011
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: 7/13/2011
|
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
 Reported:
|
| Confirmed: 11/15/2011
|
On April 6, 2011, Obama nominated Sharon L. Gleason to the United States District Court for the District of Alaska to a seat vacated by John Sedwick.[5] Obama told the press, "Throughout their careers these individuals have shown a dedication to justice. I am proud to nominate them to serve the American people from the district court bench."[6]
Gleason was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. She had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary committee on July 13, 2011 and you can find her Committee Questionnaire available here and her Questions for the Record available here. She was reported by the committee on September 8, 2011.[7]
Gleason was confirmed by a Senate vote of 87-8 on November 15, 2011 and received commission on January 4, 2012.[8] She became chief judge on January 1, 2022.[2]
Noteworthy cases
Gleason rules Trump exceeded authority reversing offshore drilling bans
On March 30, 2019, Judge Sharon Gleason reversed an executive order made by President Trump in 2017 that overturned drilling restrictions first introduced by former President Barack Obama. Gleason ruled that Trump exceeded his authority when he ordered the revocation of Obama's banning of drilling in most Arctic waters.[9]
“The wording of President Obama’s 2015 and 2016 withdrawals indicates that he intended them to extend indefinitely, and therefore be revocable only by an act of Congress,” Gleason wrote.[10]
Temporary injunction against Greenpeace (2012)
In March 2012, Anchorage Judge Sharon Gleason ruled in favor of Shell Oil, granting a temporary injunction creating a 500-meter safety zone for offshore drilling vessels. This injunction prevented Greenpeace activists from entering within 500-meters of drilling ships.[11] The injunction request came after Greenpeace activists boarded the Shell drilling ship Noble Discoverer in February.[12]
Update On May 29, 2012, Judge Gleason extended previous restrictions against Greenpeace activists, preventing them from coming within a kilometer of Shell Oil's drilling ships. The original restriction applied only to ships within 12 miles of the coast while the newer restriction extended to cover ships up to 200 miles off the coast.[13]
Alaska Third District
Gleason joined the Third Judicial District Superior Court in Anchorage, Alaska on February 19, 2001 after an appointment by Governor Tony Knowles. She became the presiding judge of her court in 2009.
2010 election
Gleason was retained in 2010.[14] The Alaska Judicial Council supported her retention.[15][16]
- Main article: Alaska judicial elections, 2010
- See also: Alaska Judges up for Retention Election in 2010
See also
- News: Judge Gleason extends restrictions against Greenpeace, June 11, 2012
- News: Sentencing date for former director of whaling commission set for end of July, May 3, 2012
- News: Judge Gleason grants temporary injunction against Greenpeace, April 4, 2012
- News: Justices Christen and Gleason nominated for federal judgeship, July 18, 2011
- News: Federal Courts, Empty Benches, April 13, 2011
- News: Two nominees for federal court announced by the White House, April 10, 2011
External links
- The Alaska Dispatch, "Judge allows election to proceed, despite redistricting concerns," Jun 15, 2012
- Anchorage Daily News, "Judge pegs pipeline life at 50 more years," January 5th, 2012
- Sharon L. Gleason's Alaska Judicial Council Recommendation
- Biography from Federal Judicial Center.
Footnotes
- ↑ KTUU "State Supreme Court judges re-appointed," January 5, 2010
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Biography from Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sharon L. Gleason's Application for Judicial Appointment
- ↑ Sharon L. Gleason - Lawyer Profile on Martindale.com
- ↑ "Nominations sent to Senate," April 6, 2011
- ↑ "President Obama Nominates Two to the United States District Court," April 6, 2011
- ↑ 112th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ 112th Congress Confirmation Materials
- ↑ Governing, "Trump's Offshore Drilling Plan Blocked by Judge," April 1, 2019
- ↑ Washington Times, "Judge undercuts Trump, reinstates Obama environmental initiatives," April 1, 2019
- ↑ The News Miner, "Shell gets injunction against Greenpeace for Arctic drill ships," Mar 29, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Actress, Greenpeace activists climb Arctic-bound oil drilling ship," February 24, 2012
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Greenpeace vs. Shell: Alaska Judge Restricts Activists From Boarding Offshore Drilling Vessels," May 30, 2012
- ↑ GEMS election results: Alaska
- ↑ Alaska Judicial Council, Press Release: "Judicial Council Recommends that Voters Retain 27 out of 28 Judges," July 5, 2010
- ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, November 2, 2010 General Election Candidate List
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the District of Alaska 2012-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Nominated | |||
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Alaska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Alaska
State courts:
Alaska Supreme Court • Alaska Court of Appeals • Alaska Superior Court • Alaska District Court
State resources:
Courts in Alaska • Alaska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alaska
