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Bruce Sterling Jenkins
Portrait of Judge Jenkins
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah
In office
September 22, 1978 – 1984
Nominated byJimmy Carter
Preceded byWillis W. Ritter
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah
In office
December 20, 1984 – May 28, 1993
Succeeded byTena Campbell
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah
In office
September 30, 1994 – Current
Personal details
BornMay 27, 1927
Salt Lake City, Utah

Bruce Sterling Jenkins is a Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Utah.

Early Life and Education[edit]

Jenkins was born May 27, 1927 and grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah where he attended East High School. While Jenkins was growing up, his mother worked as a court reporter and his brother worked as a practicing attorney.[1] He cited his family's involvement in law as one of the reasons why he decided to go to law school. Jenkins attended The University of Utah for his undergraduate studies, where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1949. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He studied law and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah College of Law in 1975 where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif in 1975.[2] He served in the United States Navy from 1945-1946.

Legal Career[edit]

Immediately following his graduation from law school, Jenkins began to work in private practice in Utah from 1952-1965. Jenkins served as an Assistant Utah State Attorney General and was a part-time deputy county attorney in Salt Lake County from 1954 to 1958.[3] In 1958, Jenkins was elected to the Utah State Senate where he served until 1965. After his career in the senate, Jenkins was appointed as a bankruptcy referee for the Bankruptcy Court of Utah in 1965. He was re-appointed twice and served until 1973.

Judicial Career[edit]

In 1973, Jenkins was appointed a US Bankruptcy Judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court in the District of Utah. Jenkins served in the position until 1978. On August 28th, 1978, President Jimmy Carter nominated Jenkins as a United States District Judge. He was one of five persons recommended for the position by a statewide merit selection committee.[4] Jenkins was appointed to fill a seat vacated by Willis Ritter. He was confirmed by the United States Senate September 20, 1978 and received his commission on September 22, 1978. Jenkins became Chief Judge after six years of service on December 20, 1984. While Jenkins filled the role of Chief Judge, the court underwent many changes including the compiling and revision of local laws, the automation and computerization of the court's records and a major remodeling of the Federal Courthouse.[5] Jenkins stepped down after eight and a half years service as Chief Judge on May 28, 1993. He was succeeded by Judge Tina Campbell. Jenkins assumed senior status on September 30, 1994, where he currently hears cases for the United States District Court for the District of Utah.[6]

Awards and Honors[edit]

Jenkins has received numerous awards for his service on the bench. In 1985, he was recognized as the Alumnus of the Year by the University of Utah College of Law Alumni Association. Jenkins was honored as Judge of the Year by the Utah State Bar Association in 1993 and received the Distinguished Judicial Service Award by the Federal Bar Association the same year. Also in 1993, Jenkins was recognized with the George Washington Honor Medal by the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. He was also awarded the 1997 Emeritus Merit of Honor Award by the University of Utah Alumni Association.[7]

Community and Professional Service[edit]

Jenkins has served in a number of positions in the community such as President of Federal District Judges Association for the Tenth Circuit, a member of the University of Utah College of Law alumni board, an adjunct professor at the University of Utah and a fellow of the American Bar Association.[8] In 1958, Jenkins was elected to the Utah State Senate. He was re-elected twice, and served until 1965. He served as the Democratic minority party leader, and was subsequently elected as President of the Senate in 1964. During his time in the Senate, Jenkins authored and sponsored legislation dealing with public money which resulted in millions of dollars of non-tax revenue to the State of Utah.[9]

Selected Jenkins Rulings[edit]

Judge Jenkins is the author of more than 200 published opinions, as well as articles and commentaries on legal subjects cited by other courts and in legal journals.

Judge Jenkins has made many court rulings that have had major impact in the State of Utah and across the United States. For a full list of his court rulings, see http://dockets.justia.com/search?court=utdce&judge=Bruce+Jenkins

Utah National Parks[edit]

In May, 2011, Judge Jenkins, in the case of San Juan County, Utah v. United States, 420 F.3d 1197, 1201 (D. Utah 2005)[10] ruled against the State of Utah's request to control roads in national parks. Salt Creek Road was once used for Jeep tours across Canyonlands National Park. Utah and San Juan County claimed that access of the road should be governed by the local county, citing the Federal statute RS2477, a law that allows "local entities to claim rights of way if they can prove that the routes were formerly used as historic roads or trails."[11] Jenkins' held that the passage was not a highway, and was used as a temporary byway. This effectively banned the use of vehicles on Salt Creek Road. He also set a precedence that occasionally used roads are subject to federal control.[12] The ruling also determined potential definitions for what comprises a road or a passage.

FDA Ruling[edit]

In the case of United States v. Utah Medical Products Inc., 404 F. Supp. 2d 1315 (D. Utah 2005)[13], Jenkins ruled that Utah Medical Products Inc. did comply with the safety regulations and the QSR requirements of the Food and Drug Administration.[14] The FDA attempted to shut down the 160-person facility in Midvale, Utah because of alleged failure to comply with manufacturing requirements. Jenkins' ruling set a precedent on future cases dealing with the FDA's "nitpicking" regulations. The decision ended a four year legal battle and set the tone for what was considered acceptable FDA regulations and practices.

Gay and Lesbian Rights[edit]

In the case of Wendy Weaver v. Nebo School District, 29 F. Supp. 2d 1279. (D. Utah 1998)[15], Jenkins ruled that it was illegal for the school district to fire the coach of the girls volleyball team on the basis that she was a lesbian.[16] Jenkins held that the school district wrongly made Weaver hide her sexuality. In the landmark case, Jenkins noted that "the school’s actions violated Weaver’s right to free speech, because she was singled out for disciplinary action for discussing her sexual orientation, while no similar restriction was placed on heterosexual teachers."[17] Jenkins ordered that Weaver receive $1,500 in compensation and be re-offered her position as volleyball coach.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Utah Bar
  2. ^ uscourts.gov
  3. ^ judgepedia.org
  4. ^ See fn 2, supra
  5. ^ See fn 3, supra
  6. ^ Federal Judicial Center
  7. ^ See fn 2, supra
  8. ^ See fn 1, supra
  9. ^ See fn 2, supra
  10. ^ findlaw.com
  11. ^ LA Times Blogs
  12. ^ niuzer.com
  13. ^ mckennalong.com
  14. ^ prnewswire.com
  15. ^ www.nassp.org
  16. ^ ALCU Utah
  17. ^ See fn 16, supra
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