Madeline Haikala
2013 - Present
11
Madeline Hughes Haikala is a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. She joined the court in 2013 after a nomination from President Barack Obama.
Early life and education
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Haikala earned her bachelor's degree from Williams College in 1986 and her J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 1989.[1]
Professional career
- 2013 - Present: Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
- 1989-2012: Private practice, Birmingham, Ala.[1]
Judicial career
Northern District of Alabama
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Madeline Hughes Haikala |
| Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 158 days after nomination. |
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
Haikala was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 9, 2013, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama vacated by Inge Johnson. The American Bar Association rated Haikala Unanimously Well Qualified for the nomination. Hearings on Haikala's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 19, 2013, and her nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on July 18, 2013. Haikala was confirmed on a recorded 90-0 vote of the U.S. Senate on October 14, 2013, and she received her commission on October 16, 2013.[1][2][3]
Magistrate judge, Northern District of Alabama
Haikala served as a federal magistrate judge for the Northern District of Alabama from 2012 until her elevation as a district judge to the same court in 2013.[1]
Noteworthy cases
Half-century long lawsuit extended (2014)
For over a half-century, a lawsuit has been waged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against the city of Huntsville, Alabama, over whether the city is doing all it can to ensure that there is no conscious segregation in its school system. The city asked Judge Madeline Haikala to approve a rezoning plan that would merge two schools into one. The judge did not approve the plan. Instead, she found that the city was not doing enough to end segregation in its school district. She stated that she was unable to conclusively determine that the city school district was free from segregation. Further, she was concerned that the city had not made a good faith effort to address the DOJ’s concerns.
The judge cited the following as concerning:
- The district did not prepare minority students for advanced AP classes, nor did minority students take advantage of the classes.
- The school board placed a presentation on its website criticizing the rule allowing minority students to transfer to majority-white schools.
- The district did not allow for proper community feedback on its rezoning efforts; instead, it hosted quickly thrown together community events that did little to enlighten the board about how citizens felt.
Judge Haikala ordered that the presentation be removed from the website immediately and appointed a special magistrate, Judge John Ott, to oversee mediation and fact-finding on racial disparities within the district.
Articles:
See also
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala," accessed June 19, 2017
- ↑ United States Congress, "PN 409 — Madeline Hughes Haikala — The Judiciary," accessed June 19, 2017
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees, 113th Congress," accessed June 19, 2017
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama 2013-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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Federal courts:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama