Barbara Milano Keenan
Encyclopedia
Barbara Milano Keenan is a judge on United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
and a former justice on the Supreme Court of Virginia
.
in 1971 and her law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1974. She also earned a master of law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
in 1992.
before entering private practice, first as a solo practitioner and then as partner in the firm Keenan, Ardis and Roehrenbeck. In 1980, she was made a judge of the General District Court of Fairfax County, and two years later became the first woman to be elected to a Circuit Court judgeship by the Virginia General Assembly
. In 1985, she was elected as one of the first ten judges of the newly created Court of Appeals of Virginia
, making her the first woman to serve as a state appellate court judge in Virginia. Keenan holds the distinction of being the only woman to have served on all levels of the Virginia court system.
In 2011, she wrote the foreword to the first volume of Jurist Prudent, the collected opinions of her former Supreme Court of Virginia
colleague Sr. Justice Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
.
, succeeding Justice Charles S. Russell
. Justice Keenan was reelected in 2003 to a second twelve-year term on the Court.
Justice Keenan holds the distinction of being the first Virginia jurist to have served at every level of Virginia's judicial system (District, Circuit, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court). Sr. Justice Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
, and Justice Leroy F. Millette, Jr.
, have also served at every level of the state's court system. She joins Judge G. Steven Agee
of that court as the second Virginia Supreme Court Justice (and former Virginia Court of Appeals judge) to advance to the federal appellate bench in recent times.
. The Virginia Bar Association
included her name on the list of candidates it submitted to Virginia's two senators on February 24, 2009. On June 2, 2009, Virginia's senators recommended that President Barack Obama
nominate her to the Fourth Circuit. On September 14, 2009, Obama formally nominated Keenan to the Fourth Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee has backed her nomination.
On February 26, 2010, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
filed for cloture
on Keenan's nomination. The Senate voted 99-0 for cloture on the nomination on March 2, 2010. The Senate then voted 99-0 to confirm Keenan on March 2, 2010. She received her commission on March 9, 2010.
Keenan is the first woman on the Fourth Circuit from Virginia.
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:*District of Maryland*Eastern District of North Carolina...
and a former justice on the Supreme Court of Virginia
Supreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
.
Early life and education
Keenan was born in Vienna, Austria, where her father, a highly decorated World War II veteran, was serving as chief of intelligence operations after the war. She was raised in Northern Virginia. Keenan received her bachelor's degree from Cornell UniversityCornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1971 and her law degree from George Washington University Law School in 1974. She also earned a master of law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1992.
Professional career
From 1974 to 1976, Keenan was an assistant commonwealth's attorney for Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
before entering private practice, first as a solo practitioner and then as partner in the firm Keenan, Ardis and Roehrenbeck. In 1980, she was made a judge of the General District Court of Fairfax County, and two years later became the first woman to be elected to a Circuit Court judgeship by the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
. In 1985, she was elected as one of the first ten judges of the newly created Court of Appeals of Virginia
Court of Appeals of Virginia
The Court of Appeals of Virginia, established January 1, 1985, is an eleven-judge body that hears appeals from decisions of Virginia's circuit courts and the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. The Court sits in panels of at least three judges, and sometimes hears cases en banc...
, making her the first woman to serve as a state appellate court judge in Virginia. Keenan holds the distinction of being the only woman to have served on all levels of the Virginia court system.
In 2011, she wrote the foreword to the first volume of Jurist Prudent, the collected opinions of her former Supreme Court of Virginia
Supreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
colleague Sr. Justice Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
Lawrence Larkins Koontz, Jr. is a Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justice Koontz has served at every level of court judicial system...
.
Service on the Supreme Court of Virginia
In 1991, Keenan was elected to be a Justice of the Supreme Court of VirginiaSupreme Court of Virginia
The Supreme Court of Virginia is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It primarily hears appeals from the trial-level city and county Circuit Courts, as well as the criminal law, family law and administrative law cases that go through the Court of Appeals of Virginia. It is one of...
, succeeding Justice Charles S. Russell
Charles S. Russell
Charles Stevens Russell was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1926. He received his secondary education at the Congressional Pages School in Washington, D. C.-Life:...
. Justice Keenan was reelected in 2003 to a second twelve-year term on the Court.
Justice Keenan holds the distinction of being the first Virginia jurist to have served at every level of Virginia's judicial system (District, Circuit, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court). Sr. Justice Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.
Lawrence Larkins Koontz, Jr. is a Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justice Koontz has served at every level of court judicial system...
, and Justice Leroy F. Millette, Jr.
Leroy F. Millette, Jr.
Leroy F. Millette, Jr. is a justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Justice Millette was appointed to the Court by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Justice G. Steven Agee, who had been appointed to the federal 4th Circuit Court of Appeals...
, have also served at every level of the state's court system. She joins Judge G. Steven Agee
G. Steven Agee
George Steven Agee is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.- Background :...
of that court as the second Virginia Supreme Court Justice (and former Virginia Court of Appeals judge) to advance to the federal appellate bench in recent times.
Nomination to the Fourth Circuit
In 2009, Justice Keenan asked to be considered for a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:*District of Maryland*Eastern District of North Carolina...
. The Virginia Bar Association
Virginia Bar Association
The Virginia Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers in Virginia, with offices in Richmond, Virginia.- VBA Mission : is the independent voice of the Virginia lawyer, advancing the highest ideals of the profession through advocacy and volunteer service.- History :The VBA, , was...
included her name on the list of candidates it submitted to Virginia's two senators on February 24, 2009. On June 2, 2009, Virginia's senators recommended that President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominate her to the Fourth Circuit. On September 14, 2009, Obama formally nominated Keenan to the Fourth Circuit. The Senate Judiciary Committee has backed her nomination.
On February 26, 2010, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
filed for cloture
Cloture
In parliamentary procedure, cloture is a motion or process aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. It is also called closure or, informally, a guillotine. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. Clôture is French for "ending" or "conclusion"...
on Keenan's nomination. The Senate voted 99-0 for cloture on the nomination on March 2, 2010. The Senate then voted 99-0 to confirm Keenan on March 2, 2010. She received her commission on March 9, 2010.
Keenan is the first woman on the Fourth Circuit from Virginia.