Judge Thomas Griffith
D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Thomas Beall Griffith was born in July 1954 in Yokohama, Japan, while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Army. He earned an undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law. He worked in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina and later in Washington, D.C.
Griffith left private practice to serve as Senate Legal Counsel, the chief legal officer of the U.S. Senate. In that position, he gave nonpartisan legal advice to both sides during President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial. He returned briefly to private practice, then became General Counsel of Brigham Young University.
He was twice nominated to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals by President George W. Bush. He was confirmed by the Senate and received his commission in June 2005. He announced earlier this year that he would retire in September 2020.
Griffith is married to the former Susan Ann Stell and they are the parents of six children. He is an active member of the LDS Church.
In the News…
A federal appeals court ruled that the House of Representatives cannot sue to enforce its subpoenas after they sought to force the testimony of former White House counsel Don McGahn in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
The 2-1 ruling argued that the Constitution forbids federal courts from resolving disputes between branches of government, endorsing a view that had been pushed by the Administration that would insulate the White House from congressional oversight.
“If we order McGahn to testify, what happens next? McGahn compelled to appear, asserts executive privilege in response to the Committee’s questions,” Judge Thomas Griffith wrote in the opinion. “The Committee finds those assertions baseless. In that case, the Committee assures us, it would come right back to court to make McGahn talk.“
“The walk from the Capitol to our courthouse is a short one, and if we resolve this case today, we can expect Congress’s lawyers to make the trip often,” he said.
If the ruling stands, it could essentially render congressional subpoenas of the executive branch unenforceable.
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Griffith today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Thomas Griffith
D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse
333 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20001
