Sam A. Lindsay

Sam Allen Lindsay (born October 16, 1951) is an American attorney who serves as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, with chambers in Dallas, Texas.

Sam A. Lindsay
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Assumed office
March 17, 1998
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded bySeat established
by 104 Stat. 5089
Personal details
Born
Sam Allen Lindsay

(1951-10-16) October 16, 1951[1]
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Spouse(s)Kathy Lindsay
ChildrenRachel Lindsay
EducationSt. Mary’s University (BA)
University of Texas Law School (JD)

Early life and education

Lindsay was born in San Antonio, Texas and raised in South Texas. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government from St. Mary’s University in 1974, graduating magna cum laude. In 1977, he earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin.

Career

After graduating from law school, Lindsay served as a staff attorney for the Texas Aeronautics Commission from 1977 to 1979. In 1979, he joined the Dallas City Attorney's office, where he progressed through various posts until being named City Attorney in 1992. He was the head of the Federal Litigation Section from 1979 to 1986, a Chief of litigation division/executive assistant city attorney from 1986 to 1990, a first assistant city attorney from 1990 to 1991, an Acting city attorney in 1991, and finally a City Attorney from 1992 to 1998.

Federal judicial service

On November 8, 1997, Lindsay was nominated by President Bill Clinton to be a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, to a new seat created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on March 11, 1998, and received commission on March 17, 1998. Lindsay was the first African American to serve on the federal District Court in Dallas.

Notable cases

On May 21, 2007, Lindsay issued an order blocking enforcement of an ordinance approved by the citizens of Farmers Branch, Texas.[2] The ordinance would have authorized fines against property managers who rented to illegal immigrants.

On January 22, 2015, Lindsay sentenced journalist Barrett Brown for his role in a December 2011 Anonymous hack of Texas-based Stratfor. Brown pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact, interfering with an FBI investigation, and threatening an FBI agent. At the time of sentencing, he had been in jail about 2.5 years. Lindsay sentenced Brown to a total of 63 months in jail and fined him almost $1 million, with the money to be paid to Stratfor and other companies targeted by Anonymous. Jeremy Hammond, who was responsible for the Stratfor breach, pleaded guilty to one count, illegally accessing computer systems. In 2013, Judge Loretta Preska, sentenced Hammond to 10 years, the maximum allowed; news reports make no mention of Preska imposing a fine.[3][4][5][6][7]

Lindsay is a Trustee of The Center for American and International Law.[8] CAIL trains law enforcement officers, including FBI personnel.[9]

Personal life

Lindsay's daughter, Rachel Lindsay, is an attorney and television personality who first appeared as a contestant on The Bachelor, coming in third place. On February 13, 2017, ABC announced that she would be the bachelorette on the next season of The Bachelorette, becoming the first African-American lead in the history of the franchise.[10]

References
  1. Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, First Session, on Confirmation of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, Part 3
  2. Stephanie Sandoval 2 sides in FB case are dealt minor setbacks: Hearing is today on preliminary injunction against city's rental ban," The Dallas Morning News, June 5, 2007
  3. Coleman, Gabriella (23 January 2015). "Bad, Bad Barrett Brown". Slate.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  4. Rogers, Tim (23 January 2015). "Barrett Brown Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison, Looks Horrible in Mustard Yellow Jail Togs". Frontburner. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  5. Nicks, Denver (23 January 2015). "Activist Defiant After Sentencing Over Stratfor Hacking". TIME. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  6. Woolf, Nicky (23 January 2015). "Barrett Brown sentenced to 63 months for 'merely linking to hacked material'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  7. Pilkington, Ed (15 November 2013). "Jailed Anonymous hacker Jeremy Hammond: 'My days of hacking are done'". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  8. "CAIL Board of Trustees". The Center for American and International Law (CAIL). Retrieved Jan 25, 2015.
  9. Simpson, Jill; March, Jim (19 September 2013). "Barrett Brown's Judge – A Look At The Man Beneath The Robes". Popular Resistance. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  10. Shea, Christopher D. (February 14, 2017). "First Black 'Bachelorette' Will Be Rachel Lindsay, a Texas Lawyer". New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Seat established by 104 Stat. 5089		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
1998–present		 Incumbent
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