Dorothy Nelson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nelson in 2018 | |
| Senior Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| Assumed office January 1, 1995 | |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | |
| In office December 20, 1979 – January 1, 1995 | |
| Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Succeeded by | Sidney R. Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dorothy Jean Wright (1928-09-30)September 30, 1928 (age 97) San Pedro,California, U.S. |
| Spouse | |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA,JD) University of Southern California (LLM) |
Dorothy Wright Nelson (born September 30, 1928) is aseniorUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Born inSan Pedro,California,[1] Wright received anArtium Baccalaureus degree from theUniversity of California, Los Angeles in 1950, aJuris Doctor fromUCLA School of Law in 1953, and aMaster of Laws from theUSC Gould School of Law in 1956. She was a research associate fellow at the Gould School of Law from 1953 to 1956. She was in private practice inLos Angeles, California from 1954 to 1957. She was a member of the faculty of the Gould School of Law from 1957 to 1980. She was an instructor from 1957 to 1958. She was an assistant professor from 1958 to 1961. She was an associate professor from 1961 to 1967. She was an associate dean from 1965 to 1967. She was an interim dean from 1967 to 1969 and because of her achievement she was named Woman of the Year by theLos Angeles Times.[2] She was a professor from 1967 to 1980. She was a dean from 1969 to 1980. She was an adjunct professor of law at the Gould School of Law starting 1980.[3]
Nelson was nominated by PresidentJimmy Carter on September 28, 1979, to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629. She was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on December 19, 1979, and received her commission on December 20, 1979. She assumedsenior status on January 1, 1995.[3] She published an article in theSouthern California Law Review.[4] She is the author of a book,Judicial Administration and the Administration of Justice, published by West Lawbook.
In 1973 there was discussion she might be nominated to the US Supreme Court in the news.[5]
On February 1, 2018, Nelson ruled that the County of Maui violated theClean Water Act when it discharged pollutants without a permit.[6] The Supreme Court mostly affirmed inCounty of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund.
In 1950, Wright married James F. Nelson (1927–2011), a longtimeLos Angeles Municipal Court judge.[7] The couple had two children.[7]
She is an active member of theBaháʼí Faith and served in theNational Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of United States for many years. She became a Baháʼí following the suggestion to explore the religion from Donald Barrett in 1954 along with about 70 others across a decade.[8][9] Barrett would go on to serve at the Baháʼí World Center in 1979.[10] In 1989, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree fromWhittier College.[11]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New seat | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 1979–1995 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
