| Moira Modzelewski | |
| Birth Name: | Moira Lee Dempsey[1] |
| Birth Date: | 30 May 1958 |
| Birth Place: | Agana, Guam |
| Nationality: | American |
| Education: | University of Virginia (BA, JD) Naval Justice School |
| Known For: | Presiding over a Guantanamo military commission |
| Occupation: | lawyer, Captain (USN) |
| Children: | 4 |
Moira Dempsey Modzelewski (born 30 May 1958)[2] is an American lawyer and former captain in the United States Navy.[3] [4] Until her retirement in 2018,[5] she served as Chief Judge of the Navy and one of four assistant judge advocates general.[6] Modzelewski is notable for her appointment to serve as the Presiding Officer over Noor Uthman Muhammaed's Guantanamo military commission.
| 1980 | Chinese Studies | |||
| 1985 | Law | |||
| 1985 | Law |
Modzelewski taught English at Szechuan University after earning her bachelor's degree, in 1980.[3]
In 1989 she was an assistant professor at the United States Naval Academy and from 1995–96, she opened the detachment of the Naval Justice School in Norfolk.
Modzelewski has served a lawyer or administrator of legal services in over a half dozen posts with the U.S. Navy.[3]
In 2009 she presided over the courts-martial of Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 10 who were charged with beating an Iraqi captive.[7]
She was subsequently appointed to serve as a presiding officer in Guantanamo.[4] In April 2010 she predicted she would require a year to review the secret evidence against Noor Uthman Muhammaed.
Modzelewski joined the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals in 2011 and became its Chief Judge on 6 August 2013.[8] She was appointed Chief Judge of the Navy after the retirement of Christian L. Reismeier on 1 July 2015.[9]
Retiring from active duty in on 12 July 2018,[5] she was succeeded as Chief Judge of the Navy by Charles N. Purnell II.[10] [11]
Modzelewski is the daughter of Navy physician John Joseph "Jack" Dempsey (26 June 1925 – 1 August 2004)[12] and retired Navy nurse Joan Louise Barron Dempsey (9 March 1926[13] – 20 January 2001).[1] She has three sisters and one brother.[12]
Modzelewski is married to retired Navy officer Stephen Anthony Modzelewski Jr.[14] They were married on 7 January 1989 in Norfolk, Virginia.[15] The couple have three sons and one daughter.[16]