William Curtis Bryson (born August 19, 1945) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He also served a 7-year term as a judge on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, until 2018, and on September 1, 2013, became the presiding judge of that court.[1]

William Bryson
Bryson in 2016
Presiding Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
In office
September 10, 2013 – May 18, 2018
Preceded byMorris S. Arnold
Succeeded byJosé A. Cabranes
Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
In office
May 19, 2011 – May 18, 2018
Preceded byRalph K. Winter Jr.
Succeeded byDavid B. Sentelle
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
Assumed office
January 7, 2013
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
In office
September 29, 1994 – January 7, 2013
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded byHoward Thomas Markey
Succeeded byTodd M. Hughes
Acting Solicitor General of the United States
In office
January 20, 1993 – June 7, 1993
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byKen Starr
Succeeded byDrew S. Days III
In office
January 20, 1989 – May 26, 1989
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Preceded byCharles Fried
Succeeded byKen Starr
Personal details
Born (1945-08-19) August 19, 1945 (age 79)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
SpouseJulia Penny Clark
Children2
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of Texas at Austin (JD)

Early life and education

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Born in Houston, Texas, Bryson graduated from St. John's School in 1963 and went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1969 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 1973. After graduating from law school, Bryson clerked for Judge Henry Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Following his clerkship with Judge Friendly, he clerked for Justice Thurgood Marshall of the United States Supreme Court.[2][3]

Career

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At the United States Department of Justice he served successively as Assistant to the United States Solicitor General, from 1978 to 1979; Chief, Appellate Section of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division, from 1979 to 1982; Special Counsel, Organized Crime and Racketeering Section in the Criminal Division from 1982 to 1986 (where he received the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service in 1984);[3] Deputy United States Solicitor General, from 1986 to 1994; and Deputy Associate United States Attorney General (Acting Associate United States Attorney General) in 1994.[4] Judge Bryson is among the most prolific writers on the subject of government contracts. In 2010, he was the only federal circuit judge to write more than two government contract related opinions.[5]

Federal judicial service

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On June 22, 1994, Bryson was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit vacated by Judge Howard Thomas Markey. Bryson was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 28, 1994, and received his commission the following day. Bryson assumed senior status on January 7, 2013.[6]

Personal life

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Bryson is married to Julia Penny Clark, an attorney specializing in labor law and employee benefits. They met in law school,[3] and clerked together at the U.S. Supreme Court. They have two daughters.

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Bryson, William C.; Sara S. Beale (1986). Grand jury law and practice (Looseleaf, 2 vol.). Wilmette, Ill.: Callaghan. LCCN 85029164.

Notes

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  1. ^ "FISCOR 2013 membership".
  2. ^ "Judge Biographies". U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  3. ^ a b c Werner, Leslie Maitland (1984-12-13). "WORKING PROFILE: WILLIAM C. BRYSON OF THE JUSTICE DEPT.; A LEGAL EAGLE'S LEGAL EAGLE". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  4. ^ United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: A History: 1990–2002 / compiled by members of the Advisory Council to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in celebration of the court's twentieth anniversary. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 2004. p. 57. LCCN 2004050209.
  5. ^ Schooner, Steven L. (2011-04-14). A Random Walk: The Federal Circuit's 2010 Government Contracts Decisions. Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network. SSRN 1809917.
  6. ^ William Curtis Bryson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

References

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Legal offices
Preceded by Solicitor General of the United States
Acting

1989
Succeeded by
Preceded by Solicitor General of the United States
Acting

1993
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
1994–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
2011–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Presiding Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review
2013–2018
Succeeded by