G. Steven Agee Explained

G. Steven Agee should not be confused with Steve Agee.

Office:Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Term Start:July 1, 2008
Appointer:George W. Bush
Predecessor:J. Michael Luttig
Office1:Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia
Term Start1:March 1, 2003
Term End1:June 30, 2008
Predecessor1:Harry L. Carrico
Successor1:LeRoy F. Millette Jr.
Office2:Judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals
Term Start2:January 1, 2001
Term End2:March 1, 2003
Predecessor2:Sam W. Coleman
Successor2:Elizabeth A. McClanahan
State Delegate3:Virginia
District3:8th
Term Start3:January 8, 1992
Term End3:January 12, 1994
Predecessor3:Thomas M. Jackson
Successor3:Morgan Griffith
State Delegate4:Virginia
District4:15th
Term Start4:January 12, 1983
Term End4:January 8, 1992
Predecessor4:Clinton Miller
Successor4:Andy Guest
State Delegate5:Virginia
District5:7th
Term Start5:January 13, 1982
Term End5:January 12, 1983
Alongside5:Richard Cranwell
Predecessor5:Chip Woodrum
Successor5:G. C. Jennings
Birth Name:George Steven Agee
Birth Date:12 November 1952
Birth Place:Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Nancy Howell
Education:Bridgewater College (BA)
University of Virginia (JD)
Allegiance: United States
Branch:United States Army Reserve
Unit:J.A.G. Corps
Serviceyears:1986–1997
Rank:Captain

George Steven Agee (born November 12, 1952) is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and a former justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia.

Background

Born in Roanoke, Virginia, Agee was educated at Bridgewater College (Bachelor of Arts), the University of Virginia School of Law (Juris Doctor) and New York University School of Law (Master of Laws, Taxation). He has litigated cases in Virginia and federal courts, including arguing for the appellant before the Supreme Court of the United States in Patterson v. Shumate, 504 U.S. 753 (1992).

From 1982 to 1994, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates. Opting to pursue the Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia in 1993, he did not seek re-election to the House.

Judicial career

State judicial service

In 2001, he became a Judge of the Virginia Court of Appeals. In 2003, he was elevated to the Virginia Supreme Court, filling the vacancy created by Chief Justice Harry L. Carrico, who took Senior Justice status.

Federal judicial service

Agee was nominated on March 13, 2008 by President George W. Bush to fill a vacancy on the Fourth Circuit created by Judge J. Michael Luttig, who resigned on May 10, 2006. President Bush asked the Senate to consider his nomination swiftly because of the court’s heavy caseloads, and because five of the fifteen seats were vacant.[1] Agee received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1, 2008, and was unanimously voted out of committee on May 15, 2008. Agee was confirmed on May 20, 2008, by a 96–0 vote.[2] He received his commission on July 1, 2008, and was sworn in by his colleague and former law professor, United States Circuit Judge James Harvie Wilkinson III, on July 2, 2008.

Notable rulings

In 2016, Agee found that sectarian prayers offered by Rowan County, North Carolina commissioners at their meetings did not violate the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, over the dissent of Judge Wilkinson. That judgment was then rejected by the full circuit en banc by a vote of 10-5, with Wilkinson now writing for the majority while Agee and Paul V. Niemeyer authored dissents.[3] In June 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States denied review, over the written dissent of Justice Clarence Thomas joined by Neil Gorsuch.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maryland Daily Record.
  2. Web site: On the Nomination (Confirmation G. Steven Agee, of Virginia to be US Circuit Judge).
  3. Lund v. Rowan County. 863. F.3d . 268 . 4th Cir.. 2017 (en banc. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17044303360687752971.
  4. Rowan County v. Lund. 138. S.Ct.. 2564 . 2018. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=8961231407468221769 .