Sessions was nominated by President Bill Clinton on June 30,1995,to a seat vacated by Judge Fred I. Parker. He was confirmed by the Senate on August 11,1995,and received his commission on August 14,1995. Sessions served as chief judge from 2002 to 2010. He assumed senior status on June 15,2014.[4]
Notable cases
On September 12,2007,Judge Sessions ruled in favor of the Sierra Club,the states of Vermont and New York,and other environmental groups in rejecting the auto industry’s attempt to block states from regulating emissions from cars. Sessions' ruling opens the doors for New York and Vermont to proceed with enacting the California Clean Car (Pavley) Standards,pending United States Environmental Protection Agency approval. These standards,adopted by California and at least 11 other states,aim to reduce emissions from cars by 30 percent when fully implemented in 2016. This precedent will likely have an important impact on similar cases pending in California and Rhode Island.[5]
On May 9,2025,Judge Sessions ruled that Rümeysa Öztürk,a foreign student of Tufts University who was detained by ICE for allegedly supporting Hamas to be released on bond.[6] He said the government offered no evidence to keep her in detention and that her First Amendment and due process rights were violated,adding that her continued detention "potentially chills the speech of millions" of people.[7][8]
U.S. Sentencing Commission
On April 20,2009,President Barack Obama nominated Sessions to be Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.[9][failed verification] Sessions' nomination languished with no full Senate vote for more than six months,with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid contending that Senate Republicans had stalled Sessions' nomination in retaliation for the speed of Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation process.[10] Reid filed cloture on Sessions' nomination on October 20,2009,and the Senate confirmed Sessions in a voice vote on October 21,2009.[citation needed]
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