Roberto Lange

Roberto Antonio Lange (born April 22, 1963) is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.

Roberto Lange
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
Assumed office
January 1, 2020
Preceded byJeffrey L. Viken
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota
Assumed office
October 21, 2009
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byCharles B. Kornmann
Personal details
Born
Roberto Antonio Lange

(1963-04-22) April 22, 1963
Pamplona, Spain
EducationUniversity of South Dakota (B.A.)
Northwestern University School of Law (J.D.)

Early life and education

Born in Pamplona, Spain, where his parents were English teachers. He was given a Spanish name by his parents assuming they would continue to live in Spain. However, his parents tenure in Spain was short and Lange was raised on a family farm near Madison, South Dakota.[1] Lange earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in 1985 where he graduated magna cum laude. He attended Northwestern University School of Law and received his Juris Doctor in 1988, cum laude.[1] During his time at law school, Lange worked as an editor and boardmember for the Northwestern University Law Review.

After graduating law school, Lange worked as a law clerk in 1988 and 1989 for United States District Judge Donald Porter, who was Chief Judge for the District of South Dakota at the time.[1] Lange then joined the law firm Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith[2] in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in 1989. Lange became a partner in 1993, and later served as the head of the firm's litigation section. Lange specialized in complex commercial litigation, products liability and significant injury cases, class action and ERISA litigation. During his twenty years with the firm, he handled business disputes for individuals, small businesses, and nationally known clients.[3]

Rhines v. Weber

In 2005, Lange argued the case of Rhines v. Weber[4] in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. As court-appointed counsel for a death-row inmate, he presented the issue of whether a federal court may stay a section 2254 habeas corpus petition which included exhausted and unexhausted claims. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Lange's client, by a 9–0 vote, reversed the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and allowed the district court to stay Rhines' petition. Ultimately, in 2019, Rhines was executed.[5]

Federal judicial service

Upon the recommendation of U.S. Senator Tim Johnson,[1] President Barack Obama nominated Lange to a vacant seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota on July 8, 2009 that had been created by Judge Charles B. Kornmann taking senior status.[6] The American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Judicial Nominations voted unanimously to rate Lange as "well qualified." The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary reported Lange's nomination to the full Senate on October 1, 2009.[7] The full Senate confirmed Lange by a vote of 100–0 on October 21, 2009, and he received his commission the same day. He became Chief Judge on January 1, 2020.[8]

Tenure

On June 2, 2021, Lange ruled against South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem's efforts to have fireworks at Mt. Rushmore, finding four of the five reasons given by the National Park Service and Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland were valid in her effort.[9]

Testimony

Lange in February 2014 testified before the United States Sentencing Commission on implementation of the Violence Against Women Act of 2013.[10] Lange's criminal case load is the highest among federal judges for Native American defendants and violent crime from reservations. Lange served on the national Tribal Issues Advisory Group,[11] and testified before the Sentencing Commission in July 2016 concerning the report of the Tribal Issues Advisory Group.[12]

References
  1. Zach Anderson, Lange nominated to serve in Federal District Court, The Madison Daily Leader (July 15, 2009).
  2. "Davenport Evans Lawyers in Sioux Falls, SD -Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP".
  3. Davenport, Evans, Hurtwitz, & Smith, http://www.dehs.com/home/2009_news_archive/lange_recommended_for_federal_judgeship
  4. 544 U.S. 269, 125 S. Ct. 1528 (2005).
  5. "Convicted killer Charles Rhines executed in South Dakota for stabbing co-worker in 1992". cbsnews.com. November 4, 2019. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  6. President Obama Nominates Irene Berger, Roberto Lange to Serve on the District Court Bench Archived 2009-07-15 at the Wayback Machine, whitehouse.gov (July 8, 2009).
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-11-04. Retrieved 2016-02-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Judicial Milestones: Roberto Lange, uscourts.gov
  9. "Judge rules against Noem in fireworks lawsuit". keloland.com. April 30, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  10. http://www.ussc.gov/amendment-process/public-hearings-and-meetings/20140213/agenda-february-13-2014.
  11. http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/amendment-process/public-comment/20141020/public-comment-JudgeLange.pdf.
  12. "Public Hearing – July 21, 2016". 6 June 2016.
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