Jennifer A. Dorsey

Early life and education

Dorsey was born in 1971 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in 1994 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1997 from the Pepperdine University School of Law.

Career

From January 1996 to February 1997, Dorsey was an intern for the firm Totaro & Shanahan and participated to the California Pro Bono Project.

She joined the Las Vegas law firm of Kemp, Jones & Coulthard LLP upon graduation from law school and became a partner in that firm in 2004, serving until 2013. She practiced before both state and federal courts and handled a wide variety of matters including appeals, class actions, and complex commercial litigation.

Federal judicial service

On September 19, 2012, Barack Obama nominated Dorsey to serve as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, to the seat vacated by Judge Larry R. Hicks, who assumed senior status on December 13, 2012. On January 2, 2013, her nomination was returned to the President, due to the sine die adjournment of the Senate. On January 3, 2013, she was re-nominated to the same office. Her nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 16, 2013, by a 10–8 vote. Her nomination was confirmed on July 9, 2013 by a 54–41 vote. She received her commission on the same day.

Notable rulings

In February 2019, she ruled in favor of Brock Lesnar against Mark Hunt after Lesnar won a 2017 fight but failed to pass the drug test.

In March 2019, she ruled in favor of Universal Music Group and its singer John Newman against the singer Alisa Apps, arguing that generic words and short phrases cannot be copyrighted.

In April 2019, she sentenced a man who possessed 47,000 files of child pornography to nine years in prison.

References

References

1. "Senate Judicial Nomination Questionnaire".
2. [https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/042413QFRs-Dorsey.pdf Response of Jennifer A. Dorsey Nominee to be United States District Court Judge for the District of Nevada to the Written Questions of Senator Amy Klobuchar], ''Senate.gov'', 23 April 2013
3. (19 September 2012). "President Obama Nominates Three to the United States District Courts". [[whitehouse.gov]].
4. {{FJC Bio
5. (3 January 2013). "President Obama Re-nominates Thirty-Three to Federal Judgeships". [[whitehouse.gov]].
6. "On the Nomination (Confirmation Jennifer A. Dorsey, of Nevada, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Nevada)".
7. {{in lang. es Sebastián Martínez, [https://solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com/new/78503-se-desestima-la-demanda-de-mark-hunt-contra-brock-lesnar-dana-white-y-ufc Se desestima la demanda de Mark Hunt contra Brock Lesnar, Dana White y UFC], ''Mundodeportivo.com'', 16 February 2019
8. Brett Okamoto, [http://espndeportes.espn.com/mma/nota?id=5294493&slug=juez-desestima-la-demanda-de-mark-hunt-contra-el-ufc Juez desestima la demanda de Mark Hunt contra el UFC], ''Espn.com'', 17 February 2019
9. [https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2019/03/18/alisa-apps-v-umg-john-newman/ Universal Music Group Prevails In ‘Generic Lyrics’ Copyright Infringement Suit], ''Digitalmusicnews.com'', 18 March 2019
10. [https://www.ktnv.com/news/crime/henderson-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-possessing-child-porn Henderson man sentenced to prison for possessing child porn], ''Ktnv.com'', 15 April 2019