Rogeriee Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | |
| Assumed office September 21, 2022 | |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | |
| In office March 30, 2010 – September 21, 2022 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Bruce M. Selya |
| Succeeded by | Lara Montecalvo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1951-08-08)August 8, 1951 (age 74) Anderson, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Education | Brown University (BA) Boston University (JD) |
Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson (born August 8, 1951) is an American lawyer who serves as aseniorUnited States circuit judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She was previously aRhode Island Superior Court justice.
Thompson was born in segregatedAnderson,South Carolina, and grew up inGreenville, South Carolina. She attendedScarsdale High School inScarsdale,New York, under the auspices of the Student Transfer and Exchange Program (STEP), graduating in 1969. She came toRhode Island to attendPembroke College, which was the coordinate women's college forBrown University. Thompson earned aBachelor of Arts degree fromBrown University in 1973 and aJuris Doctor from theBoston University School of Law in 1976.[1][2]
Thompson began her career working as a cashier at theProvidence Civic Center in 1973. In 1975 she worked as alaw clerk for theHarvard Legal Aid Bureau. In 1974 Thompson started out as a legal intern for Rhode Island Legal Services and then returned in 1976 as Senior Staff Attorney and Family Law Manager until 1979. From 1979 to 1980 she was an Associate for the law firm of McKinnon and Fortunato. In 1980, Thompson became the Assistant City Solicitor forProvidence, Rhode Island, and held this position until 1982.[3] Also in 1980, Thompson was a solo practitioner until 1984 when she opened a law firm in South Providence while raising a family with her husband, Rhode Island District Court judge William Clifton.[1] In 1988, Thompson was appointed to the Rhode Island District Court byGovernorEdward D. DiPrete.[1] In 1997, she was elevated to theRhode Island Superior Court by GovernorLincoln Almond.[1][2]
On April 13, 2009, United States SenatorsJack Reed andSheldon Whitehouse announced that they were recommending that President Obama nominate Thompson to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, to fill the seat left vacant by First Circuit JudgeBruce M. Selya's transition tosenior status at the end of 2006.[4] On October 6, 2009, Obama formally nominated Thompson to the seat on the First Circuit.[5] She was confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 2010 by a 98–0 vote.[6] She received her commission on March 30, 2010. She assumedsenior status on September 21, 2022.[2]
In August 2017, Thompson dissented when theen banc circuit rejected a lawsuit seeking to givePuerto Ricans the right to vote in U.S. federal elections.[7][8]In July 2020 Thompson was part of an appellate court decision that vacated the death sentence and overturned three of the firearm convictions ofBoston Marathon bomberDzhokhar Tsarnaev, and referred the matter back to the lower courts. The appellate court cited errors in the sentencing proceedings that found Dzhokhar guilty and condemned him to death; however, the appellate court upheld the life sentence for Dzhokhar.[9][10][11] Tsarnaev's death sentence was reinstated by the Supreme Court on March 4, 2022.[12]
Thompson lives inCranston, Rhode Island.[13] She has three children.
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit 2010–2022 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
