Henry F. Floyd

Henry Franklin Floyd (born November 5, 1947) is a senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Henry F. Floyd
Floyd in 2022
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Assumed office
December 31, 2021
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office
October 5, 2011 – December 31, 2021
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byKaren J. Williams
Succeeded byDeAndrea G. Benjamin
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
In office
September 24, 2003 – October 6, 2011
Appointed byGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byDennis Shedd
Succeeded byMary Geiger Lewis
Personal details
Born (1947-11-05) November 5, 1947
Brevard, North Carolina, U.S.
EducationWofford College (BA)
University of South Carolina (JD)

Early life and education

Born on November 5, 1947, in Brevard, North Carolina, Floyd received a Bachelor of Arts from Wofford College in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1973.[1][2]

Professional career

Floyd served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978.[3] He was elected as a Democrat.[4] Floyd was in private practice in South Carolina from 1973 to 1992. He was a South Carolina Circuit Court judge, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of South Carolina from 1992 to 2003.[2]

Federal judicial service

District court service

On May 15, 2003, Floyd was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina vacated by Dennis Shedd. Floyd was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 22, 2003, and received his commission on September 24, 2003. His service terminated on October 6, 2011, due to elevation to the court of appeals.[2]

Floyd presided over the case of José Padilla, a United States citizen detained by President Bush as an enemy combatant. In 2005, Floyd ruled that Bush did not have the authority to hold Padilla as an enemy combatant.[5]

Court of appeals service

On January 26, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Floyd to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.[5] Floyd was recommended by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Representatives Jim Clyburn and John Spratt.[6] The United States Senate confirmed Floyd on October 3, 2011 by a 96–0 vote.[7] He received his commission on October 5, 2011.[2] Floyd assumed senior status on December 31, 2021.[2][8]

Notable cases

On 28 July 2014, Floyd, in a 2–1 ruling joined by Judge Roger Gregory in Bostic v. Schaefer, struck down Virginia's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional.[9] He ruled that "Neither Virginia’s federalism-based interest in defining marriage nor our respect for the democratic process that codified that definition can excuse the Virginia Marriage Laws’ infringement of the right to marry... We recognize that same-sex marriage makes some people deeply uncomfortable. However, inertia and apprehension are not legitimate bases for denying same-sex couples due process and equal protection of the laws."[10]

In August 2020, Floyd wrote the majority opinion in G. G. v. Gloucester County School Board. In a 2-1 decision, the court ruled for Gavin Grimm, a transgender man who had sued the Gloucester County School Board in Virginia who had prohibited him from using the boys' bathroom. Floyd wrote “At the heart of this appeal is whether equal protection and Title IX can protect transgender students from school bathroom policies that prohibit them from affirming their gender. We join a growing consensus of courts in holding that the answer is resoundingly yes.”[11][12]

References
  1. "SC Judicial Department". www.judicial.state.sc.us.
  2. "Floyd, Henry Franklin – Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  3. "Henry F. Floyd nominated to appellate court". Class Notes: University of South Carolina School of Law. January 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  4. "For 4th Circuit, Obama Nominates Judge Who Ruled in Padilla Case". The National Law Journal. January 27, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  5. Ingram, David (January 26, 2011). "Obama Nominates Judge Who Ruled in Padilla Case". The Blog of Legal Times. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  6. Rosen, James (January 27, 2011). "Obama nominates S.C. federal judge to appellate court". The Miami Herald. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  7. "On the Nomination (Confirmation Henry F. Floyd, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit)". United States Senate. October 3, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  8. Monk, John (October 4, 2021). "SC's 4th Circuit Judge Floyd signals intent to semi-retire, leaving vacancy for Biden". The State. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  9. Gerstein, Josh (28 July 2014). "Court: Virginia same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional". Politico. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  10. UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT. "No. 14-1167" (PDF). UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  11. Davies, Emily. "Court rules in favor of transgender student barred from using boys' bathroom". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
  12. Stratford, Michael (26 August 2020). "Court rules 'resoundingly yes' for transgender rights in Gavin Grimm bathroom access battle". POLITICO. Retrieved 2020-08-28.
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