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Monday Open Thread: African American Judges Appointed by President Obama

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President Barack Obama is moving at a historic pace to diversify the nation’s federal judiciary: Nearly three of every four individuals he has gotten confirmed to the federal bench are women or people of color. 

This week POU features President Obama-appointed African American federal judges.

Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson

 On April 6, 2009, President Obama nominated Judge Thompson to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico).  She was confirmed by the Senate in a 98-0 vote on March 17, 2010.

Justice O. Rogeriee Thompson was born and raised in Anderson, South Carolina. She earned her A.B. from Brown University in 1973, and her J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1976. Judge Thompson began her legal career at Rhode Island Legal Services (family unit)  where she served as chief litigation counsel for all major domestic and juvenile trials.

After three years at Legal Services, Judge Thompson entered private practice, working at a small firm and then as a solo practitioner before forming a partnership with her sister at the firm of Thompson & Thompson. There she focused on Native American law, civil rights, family law and real estate.  She also served as Assistant City Solicitor, where she defended the City of Providence in civil actions and prosecuted criminal cases.
 
In 1988, Judge Thompson became the first African-American woman to be nominated to the Rhode Island District Court where she presided over state law criminal misdemeanors, civil actions with damages up to $10,000, and tax appeals. In 1997, she was elevated to the Rhode Island Superior Court — She was the first African-American woman on that court. As an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court, Judge Thompson had original jurisdiction over all felony cases and civil actions.
 
While on the bench, Judge Thompson chaired the Court’s Ad Hoc Task Force on Limited English Speaking Litigants, which was instrumental in the Superior Court establishing an Office of Court Interpreters to ensure that all limited English-speaking litigants have a fuller understanding of judicial proceedings. Judge Thompson is active in a wide variety of community and educational organizations. She is a Trustee of Brown University and of Bryant College.

White House Press Release