John Gerrard
2023 - Present
1
John Gerrard is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. He joined the court in 2012 after a nomination from Barack Obama (D). Gerrard served as the chief judge of the court from 2018 to 2021. He assumed senior status on February 6, 2023.[1]
Gerrard was a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court prior to his federal judicial nomination. He was appointed to the state supreme court by Governor Ben Nelson in 1995.[2][3][4]
Biography
Early life and education
Gerrard earned his B.S. degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1976 and his master's of Public Administration from the University of Arizona in 1977. He attended the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific where he earned his J.D. in 1981.[5]
Professional career
- 2012-2023: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Nebraska
- 2023-present: Senior judge
- Private practice lawyer in Norfolk, 1981-1995
- City Attorney for Battle Creek, 1982-1995[1][5]
Judicial career
District of Nebraska
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: John Gerrard |
| Court: District of Nebraska |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 264 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: 5/4/2011
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: 9/20/2011
|
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
 Reported:
|
| Confirmed: 1/23/2012
|
Gerrard was recommended by Senator Ben Nelson for nomination by President Barack Obama to the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.[6] For more information on the recommendation: See here.
On May 4, 2011, Obama nominated John Gerrard to the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska to a seat vacated by Richard Kopf.[7] Obama told the press, "These individuals have demonstrated the talent, expertise, and fair-mindedness Americans expect and deserve from their judicial system. I am grateful for their willingness to serve and confident that they will apply the law with the utmost impartiality and integrity."[3]
Gerrard was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary committee on September 20, 2011 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[8]
On January 23, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed John Gerrard to a post on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska with a vote of 74-16.[9]
Gerrard assumed senior status on February 6, 2023.[1]
Elections
2010
Gerrard was retained with 69% of the vote.[10]
- Main article: Nebraska judicial elections, 2010
2004
He was retained by voters in 2004, winning 73% of the vote.[11]
1998
He was retained by voters in 1998.
Political ideology
In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan ideology of state supreme court justices. They created a scoring system in which a score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology, while scores below 0 were more liberal.
Gerrard received a campaign finance score of -0.61, indicating a liberal ideological leaning. This was more liberal than the average score of -0.18 that justices received in Nebraska.
The study was based on data from campaign contributions by the judges themselves, the partisan leaning of those who contributed to the judges' campaigns, or, in the absence of elections, the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice, but an academic summary of various relevant factors.[12]
See also
- United States District Court for the District of Nebraska
- News: Nebraska Supreme Court justice recommended for nomination to U.S. District Court judge, January 13, 2011
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the District of Nebraska
- Biography from Federal Judicial Center
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Biography from Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ FJC Bio for John Gerrard
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "President Obama Nominates Six Judges to United States District Courts" 5/4/2011
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star "Gerrard's judicial nomination moves to Senate floor" October 13, 2011
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Nebraska Judicial Branch, John M. Gerrard - District 3
- ↑ Lincoln Journal Star "Ben Nelson recommends John Gerrard as U.S. district judge," January 12, 2011
- ↑ "Nominations sent to senate," May 4, 2011
- ↑ 112th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ 112th Congress Confirmation
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, Nebraska - Summary Vote Results
- ↑ 2004 Nebraska Secretary of State, 2004 General Election Results
- ↑ Stanford University, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns," October 31, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the District of Nebraska 2012-2023 |
Succeeded by Susan Bazis |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominated | |||
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nebraska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nebraska
State courts:
Nebraska Supreme Court • Nebraska Court of Appeals • Nebraska District Courts • Nebraska County Courts • Nebraska Separate Juvenile Courts • Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court • Nebraska Problem-Solving Courts
State resources:
Courts in Nebraska • Nebraska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nebraska
