Allison Jones Rushing

Allison Blair Jones Rushing (born 1982)[1] is an American attorney and jurist serving as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She was nominated for the position by President Donald Trump in August 2018 and confirmed by the Senate in March 2019.

Allison Jones Rushing
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Assumed office
March 21, 2019
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byAllyson Kay Duncan
Personal details
Born
Allison Blair Jones

1982 (age 38–39)
Hendersonville, North Carolina, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Blake Rushing
​
(m. 2016)​
EducationWake Forest University (BA)
Duke University (JD)

Early life and career

Born in Hendersonville, North Carolina, Rushing graduated from East Henderson High School in East Flat Rock, North Carolina.[2] Rushing graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Wake Forest University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in music. She then earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Duke University School of Law in 2007, where she served as executive editor of the Duke Law Journal.[3][4]

In 2005, Rushing was a law student intern at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian nonprofit organization.[5][6] Rushing wrote or co-wrote several amicus briefs on behalf of ADF and spoke at a number of ADF events.[6]

Career

After graduation, Rushing clerked for then-Judge Neil Gorsuch, of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, from 2007 to 2008, and Judge David B. Sentelle of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2008 to 2009.[7][8]

From 2009 to 2010, Rushing was an associate at Williams & Connolly. Rushing clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court of the United States during the 2010–2011 term.[9][10][11]

In 2011, Rushing rejoined Williams & Connolly in the Washington, D.C. office under Kannon Shanmugam, and in January 2017 was named a partner. She left Williams & Connolly after being appointed to the Fourth Circuit.[12][13][14]

Rushing has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2012.[1]

Federal judicial service

On August 27, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Rushing to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.[13][15] Her official nomination was received on the same day by the United States Senate.[16] She was nominated to the seat being vacated by Allyson Kay Duncan, who previously announced her intention to take senior status upon the confirmation of her successor. On October 17, 2018, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[17]

During Rushing's confirmation proceedings, she was questioned about her ties to the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative Christian group that she had interned for as a law student. ADF has been criticized for opposing LGBT rights. Rushing was asked if she would recuse herself from ADF-related cases if confirmed. She replied: "I would determine the appropriate action with the input of the parties, consultation of these rules and ethical canons, and consultation with my colleagues."[6] Asked about ADF being labeled a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rushing said: "Hate is wrong, and it should have no place in our society. In my experience with ADF, I have not witnessed anyone expressing or advocating hate."[6]

On January 3, 2019, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Rushing for a federal judgeship.[18] Her nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[19] On February 7, 2019, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10, party line vote.[20] On March 4, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a vote of 52–43.[21] On March 5, 2019, the Senate voted to confirm Rushing by a 53–44 vote.[22] She received her judicial commission on March 21, 2019.

On September 9, 2020, President Trump named Rushing as a potential choice to fill a U.S. Supreme Court vacancy if one should open. [23] After the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, President Trump briefly considered nominating Rushing to replace her, but chose Judge Amy Coney Barrett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit instead.[24]

See also

References
  1. "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Allison Jones Rushing" (PDF). Judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  2. "Graduates". Hendersonville Times-News.
  3. "Giles Harris Winners 2003". Wake Forest University, College of Music. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  4. "Class Notes—2004" (PDF). Wake Forest Magazine. Summer 2017. p. 88. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  5. Jennifer Bendery (October 24, 2018). "Senate's Out? Nobody's Around? Perfect Time To Advance Trump's Court Picks, Says GOP". Huffington Post. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
  6. "Trump's new federal judge has ties to anti-gay 'hate group'". NBC News. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  7. "Press release: Tillis & Burr Welcome Nomination of Allison Rushing As Judge for the Fourth Circuit". Office of North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  8. "Letter in Support of Neil Gorsuch from Female Former Law Clerks" (PDF). United States Senate Judiciary Committee. March 20, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  9. Lat, David (April 20, 2010). "Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Meet Justice Thomas's Clerks". Above the Law. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  10. "Yarger '08 secures clerkship with Justice Clarence Thomas". Duke Law School News. October 6, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  11. Von Drehle, David (August 28, 2018). "Opinion: Democrats have themselves to blame for Trump's judicial juggernaut". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  12. Gregg, Aaron (January 13, 2017). "Washington-area appointments and promotions for Jan. 16". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  13. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Seventeenth Wave of Judicial Nominees". Whitehouse.gov. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. Murphy, Brian (September 11, 2018). "At 36, North Carolina native picked by Trump for lifetime appointment". The Charlotte Observer. McClatchy. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  15. "Trump nominating N. Carolina native Rushing for 4th Circuit". The Charlotte Observer. Associated Press. August 28, 2018. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  16. "PN2451 — Allison Jones Rushing — The Judiciary". United States Senate. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  17. "Nominations – United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". Judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  18. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees". The White House. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  19. "Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  20. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee" (PDF). Judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  21. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 116th Congress - 1st Session". Senate.gov. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  22. "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes". United States Senate. March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  23. "Trump Adds Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton To List Of Potential Supreme Court Picks". NPR.org. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  24. "Sources: Trump Considers Barrett, Lagoa, Rushing For Supreme Court Spot". NPR.org.

Selected publications
Legal offices
Preceded by
Allyson Kay Duncan		 Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
2019–present		 Incumbent
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