It Isn’t Just the Supreme Court
David Hamilton
By Discover The Networks
President Obama is quietly “fundamentally transforming” the federal court system by appointing far-left activist judges like David Hamilton. Most of them are likely remain on the bench for many years.
After completing his legal studies, Hamilton clerked for Judge Richard Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1983-84. He then worked as an associate at the Indianapolis-based law firm of Barnes & Thornburg until 1989; served as legal counsel to Indiana Governor Evan Bayh from 1989-91; and returned to Barnes & Thornburg as a partner from 1991-94. In addition, Hamilton was a member of the Indiana State Recount Commission from 1986-87, and chairman of the Indiana State Ethics Commission from 1991-94.
When President Bill Clinton appointed Hamilton to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana in 1994, the American Bar Association (ABA) rated him as “Not Qualified” for the post. Only 3 of Clinton's 135 judicial nominees received that designation from the ABA, which cited Hamilton's “limited number of years practicing at the bar” and his “lack of trial experience.”
In 2002, Judge Hamilton ruled against a law that the Indiana state legislature had enacted in accordance with precedent set by the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. That law mandated that abortion practitioners, at least 18 hours before performing an abortion, explain to the mother the risks inherent in the procedure, inform her of possible alternatives, and offer her an opportunity to see an ultrasound image of the fetus and listen to its heartbeat. Hamilton claimed that because this “informed consent” law required a woman to make an extra visit to the abortion clinic prior to the undergoing the procedure, it imposed an “undue burden” on her. Over the ensuing seven years, Hamilton continued to issue additional rulings preventing the enforcement of that same law. In 2009 the Seventh Circuit Court, citing Hamilton's longstanding “abuse of discretion” with regard to this matter, struck down the judge's original decision and ruled that waiting periods for abortions were constitutional...More
David Hamilton
By Discover The NetworksPresident Obama is quietly “fundamentally transforming” the federal court system by appointing far-left activist judges like David Hamilton. Most of them are likely remain on the bench for many years.
- Served as a District Court judge in Indiana during the Clinton administration
- Struck down a provision requiring that abortion clinics provide women with information about alternatives to abortion 18 hours before the procedure was to take place
- Ruled that the Indiana State Legislature should not be permitted to open its sessions with Christian prayers
- Ruled against an amendment requiring convicted sex offenders to provide law-enforcement authorities with personal information
- Was selected by President Barack Obama to sit on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Board member of the Indiana Chapter of the ACLU
- Former fundraiser for ACORN
After completing his legal studies, Hamilton clerked for Judge Richard Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1983-84. He then worked as an associate at the Indianapolis-based law firm of Barnes & Thornburg until 1989; served as legal counsel to Indiana Governor Evan Bayh from 1989-91; and returned to Barnes & Thornburg as a partner from 1991-94. In addition, Hamilton was a member of the Indiana State Recount Commission from 1986-87, and chairman of the Indiana State Ethics Commission from 1991-94.
When President Bill Clinton appointed Hamilton to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana in 1994, the American Bar Association (ABA) rated him as “Not Qualified” for the post. Only 3 of Clinton's 135 judicial nominees received that designation from the ABA, which cited Hamilton's “limited number of years practicing at the bar” and his “lack of trial experience.”
In 2002, Judge Hamilton ruled against a law that the Indiana state legislature had enacted in accordance with precedent set by the 1992 U.S. Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. That law mandated that abortion practitioners, at least 18 hours before performing an abortion, explain to the mother the risks inherent in the procedure, inform her of possible alternatives, and offer her an opportunity to see an ultrasound image of the fetus and listen to its heartbeat. Hamilton claimed that because this “informed consent” law required a woman to make an extra visit to the abortion clinic prior to the undergoing the procedure, it imposed an “undue burden” on her. Over the ensuing seven years, Hamilton continued to issue additional rulings preventing the enforcement of that same law. In 2009 the Seventh Circuit Court, citing Hamilton's longstanding “abuse of discretion” with regard to this matter, struck down the judge's original decision and ruled that waiting periods for abortions were constitutional...More
