Judge Deanell Reece Tacha of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has been selected as the recipient of the 26th annual Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award.
Tacha was chosen by a three-member panel chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samual Alito.
“Judge Tacha, through her many contributions to the federal judiciary and the bar, not only meets but exceeds the standards established by this award,” Alito said in announcing Tacha’s selection.
“These invaluable contributions have brought, and continue to bring, great honor to our profession.”
Tacha, who was appointed to the appellate court in 1985, served as its chief judge from 2001 to 2007. Prior to her service on the bench, Tacha was in private practice in Kansas and taught at the University of Kansas School of Law. During her judicial tenure, Tacha chaired the Judicial Division of the American Bar Association and the Judicial Conference’s Committee on the Judicial Branch. She also has been a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and president of the American Inns of Court Foundation.
Chief Judge Anthony Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and U.S. District Judge Mark Kravitz of Connecticut also served on the selection panel.
The Devitt Award is named for the late Edward Devitt, longtime chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Minnesota.
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