President Obama has
designated a lesbian attorney, who is also an ordained
Episcopal priest, to be the chief judge of the U.S. court of
federal claims, the White House announced on Monday. Judge
Emily C. Hewitt, 64, currently serves on the court, after being
appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate in
1998.
The U.S. court of
federal claims hears monetary claims against the
government.
During her time with
the court, Judge Hewitt has chaired the rules and building and
space committees, and served on its management committee. In
2006 she was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve
on the financial disclosure committee of the United States
Judicial Conference, according to a biography released by the
White House. Judge Hewitt previously served in an appointed
position as general counsel to the General Services
Administration during the Clinton administration. Prior to
entering public service she practiced law with the Boston firm
Hill and Barlow.
A Baltimore native,
Judge Hewitt graduated from Cornell University, Union
Theological Seminary, and Harvard Law School. She was one of
the first 11 women ordained in the Episcopal priesthood in
1974.
Judge Hewitt is married
to attorney Eleanor Dean Acheson, according to a biography on
the
court website
. Acheson served as an assistant attorney general for policy
development in the Clinton administration, and later was
director of policy and government affairs for the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force. She is currently vice president,
general counsel, and corporate secretary of Amtrak.
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