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Merrick Garland

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Article Genealogy
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Merrick Garland
NameMerrick Garland
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2021
Office86th United States Attorney General
PresidentJoe Biden
Term startMarch 11, 2021
PredecessorWilliam Barr
Office1Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Term start1February 12, 2013
Term end1February 11, 2020
Predecessor1David B. Sentelle
Successor1Sri Srinivasan
Office2Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Term start2March 20, 1997
Term end2March 11, 2021
Appointer2Bill Clinton
Predecessor2Abe Fortas
Successor2Ketanji Brown Jackson
Birth date13 November 1952
Birth placeChicago, Illinois, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseLynn Rosenman, 1987
EducationHarvard University (BA, JD)

Merrick Garland is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the 86th United States Attorney General under President Joe Biden. He previously served for over two decades as a judge on the influential United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, including a tenure as its Chief Judge. Garland's career has been marked by high-profile roles, including his supervision of the Oklahoma City bombing prosecution and his controversial nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Barack Obama.

Early life and education

Merrick Garland was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of modest means. He attended Niles West High School in Skokie, where he excelled academically. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard College, graduating summa cum laude and being elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Garland then attended Harvard Law School, where he served as the managing editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor degree in 1977.

After law school, Garland clerked for Judge Henry J. Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and later for Associate Justice William J. Brennan Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States. He entered private practice at the firm Arnold & Porter before joining the United States Department of Justice in 1989. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia and later as a deputy to Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick. In 1995, he was appointed as a deputy to Associate Attorney General Webster Hubbell and played a leading role in the prosecution of the Oklahoma City bombing case.

United States Attorney General

Nominated by President Joe Biden in January 2021, Garland was confirmed by the United States Senate in a bipartisan vote and sworn in as United States Attorney General on March 11, 2021. His tenure has focused on combating domestic violent extremism, addressing civil rights violations, and overseeing the United States Department of Justice's response to the January 6 United States Capitol attack. He has also prioritized antitrust enforcement against major technology firms and defended the independence of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Supreme Court nomination

On March 16, 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States following the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. The nomination faced immediate opposition from the Republican-controlled United States Senate, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell arguing the vacancy should be filled by the next president. The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Chuck Grassley, declined to hold hearings or a vote, and the nomination expired with the end of the 114th United States Congress.

Judicial philosophy and notable opinions

Garland is widely regarded as a moderate, pragmatic jurist with a meticulous approach to statutory interpretation and administrative law. On the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, he authored significant opinions in cases involving national security, environmental regulation, and consumer protection. Notable opinions include his dissent in a case challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and his majority opinion upholding the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules.

Personal life and awards

Garland married Lynn Rosenman, a granddaughter of former Presidential advisor Samuel Irving Rosenman, in 1987. They have two daughters and reside in Bethesda, Maryland. He has received numerous honors, including the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service and the Henry J. Friendly Medal from the American Law Institute. Garland has also taught as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Harvard Law School.

Category:1952 births Category:American judges Category:United States Attorneys General Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Living people