Richard Brooke Jackson (born March 5, 1947) known professionally as R. Brooke Jackson, is a senior United States district judge serving on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Jackson formerly served as a Colorado state judge.

R. Brooke Jackson
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Assumed office
September 30, 2021
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
In office
September 1, 2011 – September 30, 2021
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byPhillip S. Figa
Succeeded byCharlotte Sweeney
Personal details
Born
Richard Brooke Jackson

(1947-03-05) March 5, 1947 (age 77)
Bozeman, Montana, U.S.
EducationDartmouth College (AB)
Harvard University (JD)

Early life and education

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Born in Bozeman, Montana, Jackson earned an Artium Baccalaureus from Dartmouth College in 1969. He then earned a Juris Doctor in 1972 from Harvard Law School.[1]

Career

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Jackson spent 26 years with the law firm Holland & Hart, including as an associate from 1972 until 1978, and as a partner from 1978 until 1998.[2] Jackson was appointed to the state bench in 1998, and in 2003 was named Chief Judge for Colorado's First Judicial District, which covers Jefferson County, Colorado and Gilpin County, Colorado.[2][1]

Federal judicial service

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On September 29, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Jackson to a judicial seat on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Phillip S. Figa.[3] Jackson's nomination lapsed at the end of 2010. President Obama renominated him on January 5, 2011. The United States Senate confirmed him by unanimous consent on August 2, 2011.[4] He received his judicial commission on September 1, 2011.[1] He assumed senior status on September 30, 2021.[1]

Notable rulings

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On June 5, 2020, Jackson issued a temporary restraining order against the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the Denver Police Department in particular, forbidding assaults against peaceful protesters who participate in demonstrations against George Floyd's murder by the Minneapolis Police Department. The order included other police officers working with the City and County of Denver. Specifically, the order forbid using tear gas, pepper spray, pepper balls and rubber bullets against protesters unless a Captain is on scene, witnesses an act of violence, and gives an order to use them; and forbids the use of projectiles shot at protestors aimed at the head, back or pelvis. The rioters suffered injures such as broken bones (including facial bones), ruptured scrotums (due to aiming at the groin), and included attacks on "medics" trying to render aid to injured rioters.[5][6][7]

On November 22, 2016, Jackson ruled in favor of Dana Zzyym, a Navy veteran who was born intersex and uses they/them pronouns, after Zzyym sued the U.S. State Department for a passport that would reflect a gender other than “male” or “female.”[8] Zzyym had applied for a U.S. passport to attend the International Intersex Forum in Mexico City but was denied because they did not select “male” or “female” on their application. Jackson ruled that the State Department cannot deny a passport to a person who declines to select either “male” or “female” as their gender in their passport application.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d R. Brooke Jackson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ a b The White House: Office of the Press Secretary (September 29, 2010). "President Obama Names Two to the United States District Court". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2011 – via National Archives.
  3. ^ The White House: Office of the Press Secretary (September 29, 2010). "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate, 9/29/10". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved March 22, 2011 – via National Archives.
  4. ^ "Judicial Nominations and Confirmations: 112th Congress". judiciary.senate.gov. Archived from the original on 2011-01-08.
  5. ^ Contreras, Óscar (June 5, 2020). "Judge puts strong restrictions on Denver police use of tear gas, pepper balls during protests". Denver 7. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Spells, Alta (June 5, 2020). "Temporary restraining order prohibits Denver Police from using chemical agents or projectiles against peaceful protesters without supervisor approval". CNN. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  7. ^ French, Leonard, Esq. (June 8, 2020). "Judge SLAMS Police for "Disgusting" Use of Tear Gas". Lawful Masses. Retrieved September 21, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Segal, Corinne (November 23, 2016). "Judge rules in favor of intersex veteran who was denied passport". PBS. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Birnbaum, Emily (September 20, 2018). "Judge rules State can't deny passport to person who won't select male or female as gender". The Hill. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
2011–2021
Succeeded by