Irma Ramirez | |
|---|---|
 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing - May 17, 2023 | |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit | |
| Assumed office December 8, 2023 | |
| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Gregg Costa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Irma Jean Carrillo 1964 (age 60–61) Brownfield, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | West Texas A&M University (BA) Southern Methodist University (JD) |
Irma Carrillo Ramirez[1] (born 1964)[1] is an American lawyer and jurist serving as aUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She previously served as aUnited States magistrate judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Texas from 2002 to 2023. She is a former nominee to be aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Ramirez was born in 1964.[2] Ramirez's parents wereMexican immigrants who came to the United States under thebracero guest worker program.[3][4] She received aBachelor of Arts degree fromWest Texas A&M University in 1986 and aJuris Doctor from theSouthern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1991.
Ramirez began her legal career working as an associate for the law firm Locke Purnell Rain Harrell, PC (nowLocke Lord LLP) inDallas from 1991 to 1995. She served as anassistant United States attorney for the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District ofTexas, working in the Civil Division from 1995 to 1999 and the Criminal Division from 1999 to 2002.[5]She served as aUnited States magistrate judge for theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Texas from September 9, 2002 to December 8, 2023.[6]
In 2017, Ramirez issuedDeion Sanders a $2,200 fine when he missed adeposition. The case involved awhistleblower allegation that he and others involved with a defunctcharter school cheated theFederal School Lunch Program.[7][8]
In 2019, Ramirez dismissed awrongful death lawsuit brought by the family ofBotham Jean against the city ofDallas. Jean was killed when off-dutyDallas Police Department officer Amber Guyger claimed she mistook him for an intruder after thinking she'd entered her own apartment, and fatally shot him. Ramirez found that the family did not show a pattern of police racism or other wrongdoing that would implicate the city.[9][10]
In 2021, Ramirez was the judge for the case against Joseph Garza, a Dallas tax lawyer. Garza was accused of hiding $1 billion in income from theIRS and reducing $200 million from client tax bills by usingfraudulenttax shelters.[11][12][13]
On March 15, 2016, PresidentBarack Obama nominated Ramirez to serve as aUnited States district judge for theNorthern District of Texas, to the seat vacated by JudgeTerry R. Means, who assumedsenior status on July 3, 2013.[14] On September 7, 2016, a hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee was held on her nomination.[15] Her nomination expired on January 3, 2017, with the end of the114th Congress.
On April 14, 2023, PresidentJoe Biden announced his intent to nominate Ramirez to serve asUnited States circuit judge for theFifth Circuit.[16][17] On April 17, 2023, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Ramirez to the seat vacated by JudgeGregg Costa, who resigned on August 31, 2022.[18] Her nomination received the support of SenatorsJohn Cornyn andTed Cruz.[19][20][21][22][23] On May 17, 2023, a hearing on her nomination was held before theUnited States Judiciary Committee.[24][25][26] On June 8, 2023, her nomination was favorably reported by the committee by avoice vote, with SenatorJosh Hawley voting no on record.[27][28][29] On November 30, 2023, theUnited States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by an 80–17 vote.[30] On December 4, 2023, her nomination was confirmed by an 80–12 vote.[31] She received her judicial commission on December 8, 2023.[32] She is the firstLatina to serve on the Fifth Circuit.[33][34][35]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2023–present | Incumbent |