Judicial SIGHT-ations: At the ACS Convention

Article III Groupie is a bit disappointed. She has received very little reader mail in response to her UTR discovery request seeking federal judicial celebrity sightings from the American Constitution Society's National Convention, which took place this past weekend.

So, unless A3G gets more information from her readers, a Robing Room Report on the Article III celebs who attended the ACS conference is unlikely. But she will share with you the two sight-ations that she has received this far:

[I]t seems that you missed [Seventh Circuit] Judge Diane Wood in your super-hotties of the federal judiciary contest. She spoke at the Moral Values and the Constitution panel -- with Judge Kozinski, Judge William A. Fletcher, and Professor Karlan -- and I thought she stood out. I found this picture online.

Article Three Groupie agrees that the Honorable Diane P. Wood is youthful and attractive. Judge Wood is rumored to spend a fair amount of time in France, which may explain the je ne sais quois of her pixieish appeal. The list of negative things that one can say about the French is a long one, but the Gallic sense of style cannot be denied!*

UTR's correspondent continues:

Something you would find interesting is that [Ninth Circuit] Judge Marsha B-rzon sort of floated in the room during the event, took a seat, then a few minutes later, floated off to the exit. I'm not sure exactly what she was doing, but it sort of creeped me out (but then again I think I have been influenced by your blog).

AHHH!!! The mere mention of that unspeakably brilliant, inconceivably liberal jurist sends A3G into paroxysms of fear. A3G isn't surprised that conference attendees noticed the comings and goings of She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Every time that She crossed the threshold, a chill wind blew through the doors, causing the room temperature to drop by 10 degrees!

Article 3 Groupie appreciates her reader's report, but she's also a little angry at her correspondent. How will A3G be able to sleep tonight, having just been reminded of one of the most powerful, frightening legal minds of the American left?

Conservatives on the West Coast, behold the queen of the dark side: a relatively young, indisputably brilliant, extremely liberal Ninth Circuit judge, who clerked on the Supreme Court (Brennan/OT 1974) and later argued before the Court, as one of the nation's leading labor lawyers. Be afraid, be very afraid...

* An addendum on Judge Wood: Don't be deceived by her pleasant exterior! Judge Wood, also a member of the Elect (Blackmun/OT 1976), might very well be the midwestern version of She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. One former Seventh Circuit clerk describes her as follows:

That woman is wicked smart. Wood is an excellent writer, and (unlike many judges) she sees the entire jurisprudential landscape. Like Scalia, Wood is always thinking a step ahead of the game and setting herself up to rule a certain way in the next case. In short, she is a liberal version of Nino; and that's what makes her so freakin' scary...

YIKES! We have good reason to live in fear: Judge Wood, who was talked about as a possible SCOTUS nominee in a John Kerry administration, may someday be nominated to the Supreme Court under President Hillary Clinton. (Born in 1950, Judge Wood would still be under 60 in 2009, when Hillary takes the oath of office.)

Interestingly enough, despite her liberal views, Judge Wood is said to be good friends with Judge Frank H. Easterbrook, her rather conservative colleague. Even if they don't see eye-to-eye politically, they do share several things in common: they were on the faculty together for several years at the University of Chicago Law School, they're both legal geniuses, and they're both judicial hotties. (To read about Judge Easterbrook's hottie credentials, click here (male hottie #2).)

Judge Easterbrook, however, may be more prickly than Judge Wood in terms of personality. He doesn't suffer fools gladly, and he doesn't mince words. For example, he has colorfully described the American jury as "twelve high-school dropouts." Gee, Judge Easterbrook, tell us how you really feel!

Comments

[NonSumDignus]

A3G: You need not worry about "President Clinton II: The Revenge" nominating Judge Wood to the Supreme Court if it is indeed true that she authored opinions ruling -- more than once -- in favor of an organization of which she was simultaneously a member. It seems that this happened in Scheidler v. NOW, at 267 F.3d 687 (October 2001), 91 Fed. Appex. 510 (February 2004)(unpublished), and 396 F.3d 807 (January 2005). According to Sullivan's Judicial Profiles: The Illinois Judicial Directory, which re-surveys judges annually regarding such affiliations, Judge Wood has been throughout her judicial career a member of the Plaintiff class, the National Organization for Women, or from the year 2000 to the present a member of the Chicago chapter of NOW.*

I'm sure Judge Wood is aware that she is required to recuse herself when she has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party. (28 USC 455). I'm sure she is also aware that 7th Circuit precedent requires that she recuse herself sua sponte in such circumstances, regardless of whether the parties have raised the issue.

It is therefore not surprising that the Supreme Court has again granted cert in this case (argument is set for November 30). Last time the case was before them, during OT2002, the Court ruled 8-1 to undo Judge Wood's handiwork. One would hope that her bias will be met with a similar reaction this coming term.

* Here is more information about the case, the info on Judge Wood, and NOW President Kim Gandy's response to a post in which this information was repeated (in which she conspicuously did nothing to refute or even address the allegation regarding Judge Wood).

[Anonymous Too]

I have no doubt that A3G is conservative. But I think her fear-mongering with respect to smart liberal judges is at least 50 percent tongue-in-cheek.

[Anonymous]

A3G - I have enjoyed reading your blog, even though we do not share the same political views on the judiciary. I never read in your blog an absolute unfounded hatred for the left, but begrudging respect for all jurors. However, this comment will cause me to cancel my feed: "How will A3G be able to sleep tonight, having just been reminded of one of the most powerful, frightening legal minds of the American left?"