Sandra L. Townes
Encyclopedia
Sandra Lynn Townes is a District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
. She joined the court in 2004 after being nominated by President George W. Bush
.
, Townes graduated from Johnson C. Smith University
with her Bachelor's degree in 1966 and later from Syracuse University College of Law
with a Juris Doctor
degree in 1976.
District Attorney's Office as Assistant district attorney from 1977 to 1983 and was promoted to Senior assistant district attorney from 1983 to 1986 and became Chief assistant district attorney from 1986 to 1987. Townes later became a City Court Judge for the City Court of Syracuse, New York
from 1988 to 1999 before being appointed by New York
Governor
George Pataki
as Justice of the Fifth Judicial District New York Supreme Court
2000 to 2004 and was promoted to Associate justice handling appeals for the 2nd Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court from 2001 to 2004. During this time Townes also taught academically as a Adjunct professor at Syracuse University College of Law from 1987 to 1995 and at Onondaga Community College
from 1992 to 2001.
on June 3, 2004 on a Senate vote and received her commission on August 2, 2004.
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island and Staten Island...
. She joined the court in 2004 after being nominated by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Early life and education
Born in Spartanburg, South CarolinaSpartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
, Townes graduated from Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University is a private, co-ed, four-year liberal arts institution of higher learning located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. JCSU is also a historically black college...
with her Bachelor's degree in 1966 and later from Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law
Syracuse University College of Law , founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law school of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. It is one of only four law schools in Upstate New York Syracuse University College of Law (SUCOL), founded in 1895, is a Juris Doctor degree-granting law...
with a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree in 1976.
Legal career
Following law school graduation, Townes working with the Onondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
District Attorney's Office as Assistant district attorney from 1977 to 1983 and was promoted to Senior assistant district attorney from 1983 to 1986 and became Chief assistant district attorney from 1986 to 1987. Townes later became a City Court Judge for the City Court of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
from 1988 to 1999 before being appointed by New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
as Justice of the Fifth Judicial District New York Supreme Court
New York Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in thestate court system of New York, United States. There is a supreme court in each of New York State's 62 counties, although some smaller counties share judges with neighboring counties...
2000 to 2004 and was promoted to Associate justice handling appeals for the 2nd Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court from 2001 to 2004. During this time Townes also taught academically as a Adjunct professor at Syracuse University College of Law from 1987 to 1995 and at Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College
Onondaga Community College is an accredited two-year educational institution that services Onondaga County, New York at three campuses. Onondaga Community College is a college of the State University of New York system and one of 30 locally sponsored community colleges throughout New York...
from 1992 to 2001.
Federal judicial career
Townes was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by President George W. Bush on August 1, 2003 to a seat vacated Sterling Johnson, Jr.. Townes was confirmed by the SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on June 3, 2004 on a Senate vote and received her commission on August 2, 2004.