J. Michelle Childs, a U.S. District Court judge in South Carolina, has been hailed for the educational diversity she would bring to the Ivy League-stacked Supreme Court. And among the Black women reportedly being eyed to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, Childs is the only candidate who the White House has publicly confirmed President Joe Biden is considering. Childs also maintains the support of one of the president’s closest congressional allies, but she has come under scrutiny for her past work as a lawyer on behalf of corporations and her punitive rulings in some criminal cases.
Education
— In 1988, Childs received her bachelor's degree in management from the University of South Florida.
— In 1991, Childs received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, as well as her Master of Arts degree in personnel and employment relations from the University of South Carolina School of Business.
— In 2016, Childs received her Master of Laws degree in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law.
Before the bench
— From 1992-2000, Childs worked at the law firm of Nexsen Pruet, LLC in Columbia, S.C. She started out as an associate attorney and eventually became the first Black female partner in a major South Carolina law firm.
— From 2000-2002, Childs served as deputy director of the Division of Labor at the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
— From 2002-2006, Childs served as a commissioner on the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Judicial experience
— In 2006, the South Carolina General Assembly elected Childs to serve as a Richland County Circuit Court judge. During her time as a state court trial judge, Childs served as chief administrative judge for General Sessions, the state’s criminal court, and as chief administrative judge for the state’s business court. She also served as an acting justice on the state’s Supreme Court.
— In 2009, then-President Barack Obama nominated Childs to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. The Senate confirmed her by voice vote in 2010.
— In 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Childs to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. But the White House said it would not work to advance her nomination while Biden was considering her for the Supreme Court vacancy.
Important rulings
—South Carolina v. Blakney, Whitaker, Frierson, McPhail, Lyde and Blakney: In 2009, Childs sentenced five perpetrators of one of the largest armored car heists in U.S. history to at least 25 years in prison.
—Bradacs v. Haley: In 2014, Childs ruled in favor of two women who sued because the state of South Carolina would not recognize their same-sex marriage performed in Washington, D.C.
—South Carolina v. United States: In 2017, Childs ruled against the Energy Department in a lawsuit brought by the state of South Carolina, ordering the federal government to remove 1 metric ton of weapons-grade plutonium from the state within two years.
—Middleton v. Andino: In 2020, Childs ruled against the South Carolina State Election Commission, striking down a witness requirement for absentee voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
—Rhoades v. Savannah River Nuclear Sols., LLC: In 2021, Childs ruled in favor of Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, refusing to block the South Carolina company’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate for its employees.
Supporters and opponents
— House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), has urged the White House to select Childs — a fellow South Carolinian — to replace Breyer. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has also expressed support for Childs, calling her “an awesome person” who is “qualified by every measure.”
— Some labor leaders and progressive activists have been skeptical of Childs, pointing to her private practice work on behalf of employers and sometimes harsh rulings on criminal justice issues.
Personal life
— Childs, whose full name is Julianna Michelle Childs, was born in Detroit in 1966. She is 55 years old.
— Childs is married to Floyd Angus, a gastroenterologist who practices medicine in Sumter, S.C. They have one daughter, Julianna.
— In an interview with the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2020, Childs said: “I love to spend time with family and friends, play tennis, listen to live music, read, and enjoy my home.”
