Glen E. Conrad | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia | |
| In office December 11, 2017 – May 20, 2021 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia | |
| In office 2010 – July 2, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | James Parker Jones |
| Succeeded by | Michael F. Urbanski |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia | |
| In office September 24, 2003 – December 11, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | James Clinton Turk |
| Succeeded by | Thomas T. Cullen |
| Magistrate Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia | |
| In office 1976–2003 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Glen Edward Conrad (1949-06-29)June 29, 1949 Radford, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | May 20, 2021(2021-05-20) (aged 71) |
| Education | College of William & Mary (BA,JD) |
Glen Edward Conrad (June 29, 1949 – May 20, 2021) was aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia and a former federal judicial nominee to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Born and raised inRadford,Virginia, Conrad was the son of an elementary school teacher mother and a father who worked in the post office.[1] Conrad earned aBachelor of Arts degree from theCollege of William & Mary in 1971, where he wrote his senior thesis on the Republican Party.[1] While writing that thesis, Conrad metJames Clinton Turk, the federal district judge whom he eventually would succeed on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. Conrad then earned aJuris Doctor from the College of William and Mary'sMarshall-Wythe School of Law in 1974.[2] Conrad's first job was as an interpreter/host atColonial Williamsburg in 1974. He then worked as a United States probation officer for the Western District of Virginia from 1975 until 1976. In 1976, Conrad became aUnited States magistrate judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. He served in that capacity until 2003.[2] Conrad applied for a federal judgeship in 1990.[1]
On April 28, 2003, PresidentGeorge W. Bush nominated Conrad to become a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.[3] "I felt like I had done just about all I could do with the responsibilities I had," Conrad told the Roanoke Times.[1] TheUnited States Senate confirmed Conrad on September 22, 2003 by an 89–0 vote.[4] Conrad received his commission on September 24, 2003. He served as Chief Judge from 2010–2017. He assumedsenior status on December 11, 2017.[2]
On May 8, 2008, PresidentGeorge W. Bush nominated Conrad to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, to fill the seat ofHiram Emory Widener Jr., who assumed senior status in July 2007 (Widener died in September 2007).[5] Bush had previously nominatedWilliam J. Haynes II andE. Duncan Getchell, but both nominations failed after opposition from Democrats and some Republicans. Conrad's nomination to the Fourth Circuit expired upon the end of President Bush's presidency in January 2009.
In February 2017, Conrad found that theEighth Amendment to the United States Constitution did not prevent Virginia from criminally prohibiting those it identified as "habitual drunkards" from possessing alcohol.[6][7] His judgment was ultimately reversed by the Fourth Circuit sittingen banc.[8]
In August 2017, Conrad was involved in a case related to thefar-rightUnite the Right rally. The city ofCharlottesville had attempted to prevent the organizers from holding the rally inEmancipation Park, and instead move them toMcIntire Park based on their opinion that the larger space would allow for better separation of the two groups while still allowing for the rally to be held. Conrad granted an injunction due to several factors; Emancipation Park was the location for the statue of Robert Lee that was planned to be taken down, that resources would be needed at both parks for both the rally and the counterprotestors, and that the move to McIntire Park was due to the viewpoints of the organizer and not the safety of the public.[9][10]
Conrad's wife, Mary Ann, is active in the Republican Party.[1] Conrad died on May 20, 2021, aged 71.[11][12]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia 2003–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Virginia 2010–2017 | Succeeded by |