Susan Paradise Baxter

Susan Paradise Baxter (born September 20, 1956) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She was formerly a United States Magistrate Judge of the same court.

Susan Baxter
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Assumed office
September 10, 2018
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded bySean J. McLaughlin
Chief Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
In office
2005–2009
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
In office
January 20, 1995 – September 10, 2018
Succeeded byRichard A. Lanzillo
Personal details
Born
Susan Rose Paradise

(1956-09-20) September 20, 1956
Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationPennsylvania State University (BS)
Temple University (MEd, JD)

Early life and education

Susan Paradise Baxter was born September 20, 1956, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[1] She received her Bachelor of Science from Pennsylvania State University in 1978, her Master of Education from Temple University in 1980, and her Juris Doctor from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1983.[1][2]

Professional career

She began her practice in Washington, D.C., at the firm of Cole, Raywid and Braverman, now Davis Wright Tremaine, where she became a partner in 1989.[2] Her practice consisted of commercial litigation, antitrust litigation and contracts.

In 1992, she served as the Court Solicitor for the Erie County Court of Common Pleas, representing the judges on the court.[2] Later in 1996, she was elected the Director-At-Large of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association.[1][2]

Federal judicial service

Magistrate judge tenure
Baxter as Chief Magistrate Judge

She became a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on January 20, 1995. She became the Chief Magistrate Judge in June 2005 and served until 2009. Her tenure as a magistrate judge ended on September 10, 2018, when she became a district judge.[1][2]

Expired district court nomination under Obama

On July 30, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Baxter to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, to the seat vacated by Sean J. McLaughlin who resigned on August 16, 2013.[3] She received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 9, 2015.[4] On January 28, 2016, her nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.[5] Her nomination expired on January 3, 2017, with the end of the 114th Congress.

Renomination to district court under Trump

On December 20, 2017, her renomination by President Trump was announced and sent to the Senate.[6] She was again nominated to the seat vacated by Sean J. McLaughlin, who resigned on August 16, 2013.[7] On February 15, 2018, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to report her nomination by voice vote.[8] On August 28, 2018, her nomination was confirmed by voice vote.[9] She received her judicial commission on September 10, 2018.

Notable cases

In Pennsylvania General Energy Company, LLC v. Grant Township, she found against Grant Township, Pennsylvania and in favor of Pennsylvania General Energy, LLC (PGE) in its claim that the Township's prohibition on injection wells violated the corporation's constitutional rights.[10][11][12] The Township was represented by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund[13] in the case, which was profiled in Rolling Stone magazine in May 2017.[12]

Personal life

She is married to Donald L. Baxter Jr. and has two children.[1]

References
  1. "Biography and Court Practice Magistrate Judge Susan Paradise Baxter" (PDF). United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 12, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
  2. "President Obama Nominates Seven to Serve on the United States District Courts" White House, July 30, 2015
  3. "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate" White House, July 30, 2015
  4. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for December 9, 2015
  5. Results of Executive Business Meeting – January 28, 2016, Senate Judiciary Committee
  6. " President Donald J. Trump Announces Ninth Wave of Judicial Nominees and Tenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees " White House, December 20, 2017 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. "Eight Nominations Sent to the Senate Today" White House, December 20, 2017
  8. Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 15, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee
  9. "PN1329 — Susan Paradise Baxter — The Judiciary". United States Senate. December 20, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  10. Pennsylvania General Energy Company, Llc v. Grant Township, March 31, 2017, retrieved January 7, 2018
  11. "Press Release: Federal Court Sanctions Lawyers for Defending Community's Right to Say "No" to Frack Wastewater Injection Wells | CELDF". CELDF. January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  12. "How a Small Town Is Standing Up to Fracking". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
  13. "CELDF – Community Rights Movement Pioneers". CELDF. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Sean J. McLaughlin		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
2018–present		 Incumbent
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