James K. Bredar
James Kelleher Bredar | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland | |
| Assumed office December 17, 2010 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | J. Frederick Motz |
| Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland | |
| In office 1998 – December 17, 2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Kelleher Bredar 1957 (age 67–68) Omaha, Nebraska |
| Education | Harvard College B.A. Georgetown University Law Center J.D. |
James Kelleher Bredar (born 1957) serves as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, a position he has held since 2010. He previously served for 12 years as a United States Magistrate Judge of the same district.
Early life and education
He earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1979 from Harvard College and a Juris Doctor in 1982 from the Georgetown University Law Center. From 1981 until 1982 he was a Visiting Student at the Yale Law School. Following law school, Bredar clerked for Judge Richard P. Matsch of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
Early career
Federal judicial service
On April 21, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Bredar to become United States District Judge for the District of Maryland.[1] His nomination was approved by the full Senate of the 111th United States Congress on December 16, 2010.[2][3] He received his commission on December 17, 2010 and was sworn in on December 22, 2010.
In November 2013, Judge Bredar held hearings to review federal and state policies related to prosecution and sentencing of convictions for marijuana use, sales and distribution. He noted that "marijuana legal reforms and developments at the state and federal level now called for imposing below-guideline sentences for federal marijuana offenses. ... Judge Bredar handed down a 12-page opinion in US v. Dayi, No. JKB-13-0013 (D. Md. Nov. 1, 2013)" [(See External link below)] explaining his views and thinking on this front."[4] He believes that marijuana legalization in various states and federal policy related to prosecution were reasons to give downward variances from the recommendations in the United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines in sentences to persons convicted of federal marijuana crimes. He explained that the court had a responsibility to try to achieve justice in sentencing.[4]
Judge Bredar is known for his insistence that attorneys use Bluebook citation style in motions.[5]
In April 2017, Judge Bredar approved the consent decree signed by the Mayor of Baltimore, the Baltimore Police Department, and former acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. Negotiation of the decree had followed a thorough investigation by the Department of Justice of the police department, as requested by the city in 2015. Bredar denied a request by the new U.S. Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, to postpone signing for 30 days in order to give the new administration time to review the decree.[6]
References
- ^ "President Obama Names Five to the United States District Court". White House Office of the Press Secretary. 21 April 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ^ Phillip, Abby (16 December 2010). "Senate confirms judicial nominees". Politico. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ^ Pres. Nom. 1653, 111th Cong. (2010).
- ^ a b Berman, Douglas (4 November 2013). "Sentencing judge explains his view on how nationwide reforms should impact federal marijuana sentencing". Sentencing Law and Policy Blog. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ^ David Lat (20 August 2016). "Benchslap Of The Day: Don't You Dare Put Citations In The Footnotes". Above the Law (website). Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ^ Victor, Daniel (8 April 2017). "Judge Approves Consent Decree to Overhaul Baltimore Police Dept". The New York Times. p. A18. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
External links
- James K. Bredar at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- Recent Opinions: US v. Dayi, CRIMINAL NO. JKB-13-0012, Maryland US District Court
- 1957 births
- Living people
- Assistant United States Attorneys
- Georgetown University Law Center alumni
- Harvard University alumni
- Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
- Lawyers from Omaha, Nebraska
- Public defenders
- United States district court judges appointed by Barack Obama
- 21st-century American judges
- United States magistrate judges