The Society is pleased to announce the publication of the oral history of Judge John D. Bates, now serving as a Senior Judge on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Judge Bates was born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey with his older sister and two younger brothers. He attended Wesleyan University, following in the footsteps of his father, a production engineer with Singer Sewing Machine Company.
From 1968 to 1971, Judge Bates served in the United States Army, including a tour in Vietnam as a First Lieutenant. After law school at the University of Maryland, for three years he was an associate at Steptoe & Johnson in Washington D.C., after which he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1980. While serving as Chief of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Bates was detailed to serve as Deputy to Independent Counsel Kenneth Star during the Whitewater investigation from 1995 to 1997. He was confirmed as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia in 2001.
In his oral history, Judge Bates discusses how different the nomination and confirmation process for a federal judge is now from then. He states that his biggest adjustment upon investiture was immediately being assigned 300 civil cases. Additional highlights from his oral history include a discussion of his judicial philosophy and principles, recollections of high-profile cases, discussion of the many committees he has served on, including Chair of the Standing Committee (formally known as the Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure), and his appointment by Chief Justice Roberts to serve as a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
This oral history is a fascinating review of a remarkable career that includes many notable events over the past four decades. Be sure to take a look here.