Appointed by George W. Bush Role Judge Preceded by James Singleton Spouse Joanne Grace | Children 4 Political party Republican Party Name Timothy Burgess | |
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Alma mater Canada College
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Northeastern University Education Northeastern University School of Law, Canada College, University of Alaska Fairbanks | ||
Timothy Mark "Tim" Burgess (born 1956) is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska.
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Education and career
Burgess was born in San Francisco, California. He received an Associate of Arts degree from Cañada College in 1976. He then attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks on a basketball scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 and a Master of Business Administration degree in 1982. He received his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law in 1987. He went into private practice in Anchorage, Alaska, with the law firm then known as Gilmore & Feldman from 1987 to 1989. Burgess served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Alaska from 1989 to 2001 and then as the United States Attorney until 2005.
Federal judicial service
He was nominated by George W. Bush on July 28, 2005 to the seat on the United States District Court for the District of Alaska vacated by James Keith Singleton, Jr.. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 21, 2005 and received commission on January 23, 2006. He became Chief Judge on December 31, 2015.
Notable case
Judge Timothy Burgess struck down the ballot referendum-passed Alaska Ballot Measure 2, which instituted an amendment to the Alaska State Constitution that read "To be valid or recognized in this State, a marriage may exist only between one man and one woman." Burgess opined that the ban of same-sex marriage was a violation of the U.S. constitutional guarantee of due process and equal protection
Personal
Burgess and his wife Joanne Grace reside in Anchorage and have four children.