Sanford Coats
Encyclopedia
Sanford Charles "Sandy" Coats (born 1971) is the United States Attorney
for the Western District of Oklahoma.
, Oklahoma
in 1971. His father, Andy Coats, served as mayor of Oklahoma City and was the Democratic Party's
unsuccessful candidate in the 1980 Oklahoma Senate election
.
Coates received a Bachelor of Arts
from Tulane University
in 1994. He then attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law
, where his father served as dean
beginning in 1996, and earned his Juris Doctor
in 1998. After completing law school, Coates served as a law clerk
for Judge Marian P. Opala
of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
.
coordinator. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
, Coats volunteered to temporarily serve as an Associate U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Louisiana
, based in New Orleans, from April 2007 to September 2007.
On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama
nominated Coats to serve as the United States Attorney
for the Western District of Oklahoma. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
on December 24, 2009 and was sworn into office on December 30, 2009.
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Early life and education
Coats was born in Oklahoma CityOklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
in 1971. His father, Andy Coats, served as mayor of Oklahoma City and was the Democratic Party's
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
unsuccessful candidate in the 1980 Oklahoma Senate election
United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 1980
The 1980 United States Senate election in Oklahoma was held November 3, 1980. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Henry Bellmon decided to retire, instead of seeking a third term...
.
Coates received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in 1994. He then attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law
University of Oklahoma College of Law
The University of Oklahoma College of Law is an ABA-certified law school located on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma. Currently, the College of Law has an enrollment of 527 law students....
, where his father served as dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
beginning in 1996, and earned his 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...
in 1998. After completing law school, Coates served as a law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
for Judge Marian P. Opala
Marian P. Opala
Marian Peter Opala was a Polish-American lawyer and jurist who served as a Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court for thirty-two years. Opala was appointed to the State's highest court in 1978 by Governor of Oklahoma David L. Boren...
of the Oklahoma Supreme Court
Oklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
.
Career
Coats served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Oklahoma from 2004 to 2009. From October 2007 to August 2008, Coats was Chief of the Major Crimes Section and also Project Safe ChildhoodProject Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood is a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children...
coordinator. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Coats volunteered to temporarily serve as an Associate U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Louisiana
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is a federal trial court based in New Orleans. Like all U.S...
, based in New Orleans, from April 2007 to September 2007.
On September 30, 2009, 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...
nominated Coats to serve as the United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Western District of Oklahoma. He was confirmed by the United States Senate
United 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 December 24, 2009 and was sworn into office on December 30, 2009.