Richard G. Kopf
Encyclopedia
Richard George Kopf is a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. He served as chief judge of that court from 1999-2004. President George H. W. Bush
nominated Kopf to the seat in 1992. From 1987 to 1992, Kopf served as a magistrate judge in the same district.
Kopf has received considerable press coverage for abortion-related decisions, particularly for his 474-page opinion striking down a ban on late-term abortions in Carhart, et al., v. Ashcroft. His decision included the following apology: "I apologize for the length of this opinion. I am well aware that appellate judges have plenty to do and that long-winded opinions from district judges are seldom helpful....I pity the poor appellate judge who has to slog through this thing. I am truly sorry."
In 2007 Kopf dismissed a case over the use of the words "rape
" and "sexual assault
" in a rape trial in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Tory Bowen had filed a lawsuit against Judge Jeffre Cheuvront for violating her right to free speech in a rape trial; Kopf dismissed the suit because Bowen had not shown enough evidence to demonstrate her lawsuit was not frivolous. Cheuvront had barred the words "rape
" and "sexual assault
" from the trial, but allowed words such as "sexual intercourse
" and "intercourse" to be used instead.
Kopf received his B.A. from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney
) in 1969 where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau
fraternity. He received his J.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law in 1972. He was a law clerk for Judge Donald Ross
in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for two years following law school and then entered private practice in Lexington, Nebraska
. In 1984, he served as counsel for the State of Nebraska
in the impeachment of the Nebraska Attorney General.
Kopf has served as president of the historical society for the Eighth Circuit and is administrator of the Robert Van Pelt
Inn of Court, a legal professional organization.
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
nominated Kopf to the seat in 1992. From 1987 to 1992, Kopf served as a magistrate judge in the same district.
Kopf has received considerable press coverage for abortion-related decisions, particularly for his 474-page opinion striking down a ban on late-term abortions in Carhart, et al., v. Ashcroft. His decision included the following apology: "I apologize for the length of this opinion. I am well aware that appellate judges have plenty to do and that long-winded opinions from district judges are seldom helpful....I pity the poor appellate judge who has to slog through this thing. I am truly sorry."
In 2007 Kopf dismissed a case over the use of the words "rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
" and "sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
" in a rape trial in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Tory Bowen had filed a lawsuit against Judge Jeffre Cheuvront for violating her right to free speech in a rape trial; Kopf dismissed the suit because Bowen had not shown enough evidence to demonstrate her lawsuit was not frivolous. Cheuvront had barred the words "rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
" and "sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
" from the trial, but allowed words such as "sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
" and "intercourse" to be used instead.
Kopf received his B.A. from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney
University of Nebraska at Kearney
The University of Nebraska at Kearney , founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, is the Kearney, Nebraska, United States campus of the University of Nebraska system.-History:...
) in 1969 where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau is a U.S. national collegiate fraternity.-History:Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity was founded in the Union Literary Society Hall of Miami University's Old Main Building in Oxford, Ohio on March 17, 1906...
fraternity. He received his J.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law in 1972. He was a law clerk for Judge Donald Ross
Donald Roe Ross
Donald Roe Ross is a United States federal judge.Born in Orleans, Nebraska, Ross was in the United States Army as an Air Corps Major from 1942 to 1946. He received a J.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law in 1948. He was in private practice in Lexington, Nebraska from 1948 to...
in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit for two years following law school and then entered private practice in Lexington, Nebraska
Lexington, Nebraska
Lexington is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 10,230 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawson County. Lexington is located in southern Nebraska, on the Platte River, southeast of North Platte. It sits along the route of U.S. Route 30 and the Union...
. In 1984, he served as counsel for the State of Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in the impeachment of the Nebraska Attorney General.
Kopf has served as president of the historical society for the Eighth Circuit and is administrator of the Robert Van Pelt
Robert Van Pelt
Robert Van Pelt was a Nebraska attorney and served as U.S. District Judge in the District of Nebraska from 1957 until his death at age 90....
Inn of Court, a legal professional organization.