Judge Lipman Explains the Judiciary

The Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, chief judge of the United States District Court, Western District of Tennessee, spoke in chapel October 4. At a time when the judiciary and judges have come under fire, History Department Chair Jonathan Jones invited Judge Lipman to explain the vital work done by our courts.
Saying that education and critical thinking are key to restoring trust, she proceeded to describe her career path, her training, and the way judges approach their work.

“My colleagues and I follow the same pattern: We make decisions based on the law and the evidence; not politics. We are all trained to research and follow precedent; that is, the decisions that were made before, and to apply the law to the evidence in the case to reach a reasoned decision.”

Lipman referred to notes she made almost 12 years ago regarding the principles that led her to apply for the judgeship, including a belief that all people have a right to be heard and treated with respect and dignity and a belief in the rule of law.

“I may not agree with the law, but that doesn’t matter. My job is to apply the law … and to make decisions consistent with precedent. Politics is irrelevant in the calculation.”

She invited students to come to court and watch the proceedings to learn for themselves how the judicial process works.

A native of Memphis, Judge Lipman earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1984 and her J.D. from the New York University School of Law in 1987. Her career has involved private law practice in Memphis and Washington, D.C., and 15 years as counsel at the University of Memphis. After a 15-month approval process, Lipman was confirmed for a seat on the United States District Court, Western District of Tennessee, by a 95-0 vote of the U.S. Senate on April 30, 2014. She became the chief judge on January 20, 2023.
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