Richard Allen Griffin

Richard Allen Griffin (born April 15, 1952) is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Previously, he was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals.

Background

Griffin, born in Traverse City, Michigan, is the son of former U.S. Senator Robert P. Griffin. He received a B.A. magna cum laude from Western Michigan University in 1971 and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1977.

Beginning in 1989, he served as a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals (Third District). During part of that time his father was a Justice on the Michigan Supreme Court.

Sixth Circuit nomination and confirmation

Griffin was appointed to the Sixth Circuit on June 10, 2005, after being nominated by George W. Bush on June 26, 2002, to a seat vacated by Damon J. Keith. In its assessment of his nomination, the Independent Judiciary project of the liberal group Alliance for Justice described Griffin as a "deeply conservative jurist".

His confirmation was temporarily blocked by both U.S. Senators of his home-state of Michigan, Carl Levin (who defeated Griffin's father, Robert P. Griffin, in his bid for re-election in 1978) and Debbie Stabenow. As part of the Gang of 14 Deal, though he was eventually confirmed on June 9, 2005, by a vote of [http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00134 95-0] . In the end, both Levin and Stabenow voted in favor of confirmation. Griffin was the sixth judge nominated to the Sixth Circuit by Bush and confirmed by the Senate.

External links

* [http://www.usdoj.gov/olp/griffinbio.htm U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy biography]
* [http://www.independentjudiciary.com/nominees/nominee.cfm?NomineeID=83 Independent Judiciary nominee profile]
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/judicialnominees/griffin.html White House Judicial Nominations profile and statements of support]
* [http://air.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=3089 Federal Judicial Center Profile]
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