Judge Elizabeth Branch
Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Elizabeth Lee “Lisa” Branch was born in March 1968 in Atlanta Georgia. She earned her undergraduate degree from Davidson College and received her Juris Doctor from the Emory University School of Law. She served two years as a clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
She worked three years in the administration of President George W. Bush, as the Counselor to the Administrator of the Office of Discrimination and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and as the Associate General Counsel for Rules and Legislation at the Department of Homeland Security. She engaged in the private practice of law in Atlanta.
Branch served as a judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals. President Trump nominated Branch to serve as the U.S. Circuit Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. At the expiration of a congressional year, her nomination was returned to the president, and he announced his intent to re-nominate her to a federal judgeship. Her nomination was reported out of committee by a 19-2 vote. The Senate invoked cloture, and her nomination was confirmed by a vote of 73-23. She received her commission in March 2018.
In the News…
A three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals recently upheld the ruling of a lower court that the cost to mail an absentee ballot in the state of Georgia is not the equivalent of a poll tax.
The case, filed by advocacy and civil rights groups, had claimed that by making voters pay for postage to mail their ballots, the state of Georgia was violating the 24th Amendment to the Constitution that prohibits the hinging of voting rights on the payment of a tax. The plaintiffs wanted the state to provide prepaid postage for the mail-in ballots.
The panel upheld the district court’s decision that the cost of a stamp is not a tax. In the 15-page decision, Judge Elizabeth Branch wrote, “We hold that the fact that absentee voters in Georgia who decide to vote by mail must pay their own postage is not a ‘tax’ or unconstitutional fee on voting.”
The panel stated, “Georgia voters, without paying any kind of money, have the option to vote in person, bring their absentee ballot to the county election office, or drop their ballot in a county drop box.”
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Branch today? You can let her know at:
The Honorable Elizabeth Branch
Eleventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals
Elbert P. Tuttle Courthouse
56 Forsyth Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
