G. Murray Snow
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
Assumed office
September 4, 2018
Preceded byRaner Collins
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona
Assumed office
July 23, 2008
Appointed byGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byStephen M. McNamee
Judge of the Arizona Court of Appeals
In office
2002–2008
Personal details
Born
Grant Murray Snow

(1959-10-20) October 20, 1959 (age 64)
Boulder City, Nevada
Residence(s)Chandler, Arizona
EducationBrigham Young University (BA, JD)

Grant Murray Snow (born October 20, 1959) is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as Chief U.S. district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Snow was previously a state court judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals from 2002 to 2008.

Early life and education

Snow was born in Boulder City, Nevada. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brigham Young University in 1984. He received a Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University in 1987.

Legal career

Snow started his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Stephen H. Anderson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 1987 to 1988. He was in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1988 to 2002. He was a judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals from 2002 to 2008.

Federal judicial career

Snow was nominated by President George W. Bush on December 11, 2007, to a seat vacated by Stephen M. McNamee. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 26, 2008. He received his commission on July 23, 2008. He became Chief Judge on September 4, 2018.[1]

Notable cases

On May 24, 2013, Snow ruled that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and committed acts of racial profiling against Hispanics.[2] The judge will also preside over the United States Department of Justice's lawsuit to gain access to MCSO’s documents and facilities, as part of the department’s investigation of alleged discrimination in MCSO’s police practices and jail operations.[3][4] On January 15, 2015, he announced that he would be bringing civil contempt charges against the MCSO, with a hearing to be held in April,[5] and on August 19, 2016, as one result of those proceedings, he issued an order requesting that the United States Attorney for the Arizona district prosecute Arpaio and three of his MCSO associates for criminal contempt.[6]

References

  1. ^ G. Murray Snow at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ "PDF of Judge Snow's ruling" (PDF). May 24, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  3. ^ "Judge picked for records lawsuit against sheriff". Bonneville International. Associated Press. September 20, 2010. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  4. ^ "Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Maricopa County Sheriff's Office For Refusing Full Cooperation With Title VI Investigation". The United States Department of Justice. September 2, 2010. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  5. ^ Megan Cassidy (January 16, 2015). "Judge: Arpaio will face contempt hearing in April". Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  6. ^ Kimberly Hutcherson (August 20, 2016). "Judge seeks criminal contempt charges against Sheriff Joe Arpaio". CNN. Retrieved August 20, 2016.

Sources

Legal offices Preceded byStephen M. McNamee Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona 2008–present Incumbent Preceded byRaner Collins Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona 2018–present
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