Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod
Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Jennifer Leigh Walker Elrod was born in September 1956 in Port Arthur, Texas. She earned an undergraduate degree in economics at Baylor University and received her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. She clerked at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, then joined the private practice of law.
She was appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to be a judge on a district court in Harris County and twice was re-elected to that position.
President George W. Bush nominated Elrod to the Faith Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. She was confirmed by the Senate and received her commission in October 2007.
She is married to Hal Elrod.
In the News…
The Texas legislature in 2017 passed a law prohibiting certain procedures in a second-trimester abortion the legislators had referred to as “dismemberment abortion.” A year ago, a three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked enforcement of the law.
The state of Texas was granted a rehearing by the full court, and a majority of the 14 appellate judges who heard arguments in January sided with Texas. Judges Jennifer Walker Elrod and Don Willett wrote the opinion.
The judges wrote, “The record shows that doctors can safely perform D&Es and comply with SB8 using methods that are already in widespread use.”
The opinion stated, “The plaintiffs have failed to carry their heavy burden of proving that SB8 would impose an undue burden on a large fraction of women.“
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Elrod today? You can let her know at:
The Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod
Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
515 Rusk Avenue, Room 12014
Houston, TX 77002-2603
