Rogers, Judith Wilson, 1939-

Judge Judith Wilson Rogers was born on July 27, 1939 in New York City. She received a bachelor’s degree from Radcliffe College in 1961, and her Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1964. Rogers went on to be the Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Columbia, 1965-1968, a staff attorney at the San Francisco Neighborhood Legal Assistance Foundation, 1968-1969, a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division, 1969-1971, general counsel for the Congressional Commission on the Organization of the District Government, 1971-1972, and in legislative affairs in several different positions in government, 1972-1979.

In 1979, Rogers worked as the assistant city administrator for intergovernmental affairs relations in the District of Columbia. Then from 1979 to 1983 she served as the corporation counsel for the District of Columbia making her the first woman appointed a chief legal officer for the District of Columbia. In 1983, Rogers was nominated by Ronald Reagan to become an associate judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. She served on the Court until 1988.

In the same year Rogers, at the age of 49, obtained her Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law. Rogers went on to serve as chief judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals from 1988 to 1994. In her 5th year as chief judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals she was nominated by Bill Clinton on November 17, 1993 for a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She was officially confirmed for the position on March 11, 1994 becoming the fourth woman and first African American woman to serve on this court.

Rogers has been honored with the Margaret Brent Award for her efforts in diversifying the courthouse and judicial branch along with numerous other prestigious awards.