NCJW supports Judge J. Michelle Childs. Here’s why:
Judge J. Michelle Childs has worked in private practice, state government, and on state and federal courts in South Carolina. She has expertise in a range of issues that would come before her if confirmed to the DC Circuit Court — from employment and labor to voting rights and marriage equality to administrative law. In addition to her scholarship, expertise, and decades of experience, Judge Childs would bring gender and racial diversity to the DC Circuit, widely considered the second highest court in the country. She has the experience, temperament, and background necessary to serve on this critical court.
Judge J. Michelle Childs’ Stances on Important Issues:
Civil Rights:
Judge Childs ruled in Bradacs v. Haley that South Carolina must recognize same-sex marriages from other states and she struck down a South Carolina rule during the 2020 election in Middleton v. Andino that would have required a witness to sign absentee ballots, making it more difficult to vote in the middle of a pandemic.
Judicial Temperament:
During her time on the District Court, Judge Childs has presided over close to 5,000 cases and authored more than 2,500 opinions. Appeals have been filed in approximately 500 of those cases, the majority of which has either been dismissed or Judge Childs’ decision has been affirmed by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Judge Childs has been described as a rare combination of both caring and analytical.
Judge J. Michelle Childs’ Experience and Education:
Experience:
Since 2010, Judge Childs has served on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. She is both the third woman and third Black person to serve in this role, as well as the court’s youngest appointee to date. She began her law career at Nexsen Pruet, LLC, where she practices in the areas of employment and labor law as well as general litigation and became the first Black female partner in a major law firm in South Carolina. She received gubernatorial appointments to serve as Deputy Director for the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation’s Division of Labor and Commissioner on the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. Judge Childs served as a South Carolina Circuit Court Judge, serving as the Chief Administrative Judge for General Sessions, the state’s Criminal Court, and Chief Administrative Judge for the state’s Business Court.
Education and Recognitions:
Judge Childs received her BS from the University of South Florida Honors College, cum laude, and her JD from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Judge Childs also holds a MA from the University of South Carolina School of Business and an LLM from Duke University School of Law. She has been recognized for her career from the American Bar Association (ABA), the American Law Institute, the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers division, and Richland County’s Bar Association.
Professional Affiliations:
Judge Childs currently serves on the Bolch Judicial Institute’s Leadership Council, and has served as faculty for the Bolch Judicial Institute’s annual Mass Tort MDL Certificate Course as well as a member of the Judicature editorial board for the 2020-21 term. Additionally, she served as chair of the ABA’s Judicial Section, Secretary of the Labor and Employment Section, and as a member of the Litigation Section’s Committee on the American Judicial System. Judge Childs is a member of the American Law Institute, having served as an Advisor to the Restatement (Third) of Employment Law.
Pro Bono Work:
As a District Court Judge, Judge Childs has mentored elementary, secondary, and law students. She helped create the BRIDGE Program in the Columbia Division of the District of South Carolina, which provides rehabilitative services to federal defendants with substance abuse issues. And, as a practicing attorney, Judge Childs regularly represented individuals on a pro bono basis and provided legal advice at free legal clinics dedicated to promoting access to justice.