John G. Heyburn II

John G. Heyburn II
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
In office April 1, 2014 – April 29, 2015
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
In office 2001–2008
Preceded by	Charles Ralph Simpson III
Succeeded by	Thomas B. Russell
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
In office August 17, 1992 – April 1, 2014
Appointed by	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Thomas A. Ballantine Jr.
Succeeded by	Rebecca Grady Jennings
Personal details
Born	John Gilpin Heyburn II (1948-11-12)November 12, 1948 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	April 29, 2015(2015-04-29) (aged 66) Louisville, Kentucky
Education	Harvard University (AB) University of Kentucky College of Law (JD)

John Gilpin Heyburn II (November 12, 1948 – April 29, 2015) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Heyburn served as the Chief Judge of the Court between 2001 and 2008.

Early life and education

Heyburn was born in

On the recommendation of Senator Mitch McConnell, Heyburn was nominated by President George H. W. Bush on March 20, 1992, to a seat vacated by Thomas A. Ballantine Jr. as Ballantine took senior status. Heyburn was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 12, 1992, on a Senate vote and received commission on August 17, 1992. He served as Chief Judge from 2001 to 2008. He took senior status on April 1, 2014.^[1] He served in that capacity until his death from liver cancer on April 29, 2015, at the age of 66, in Louisville.^[2]

In 1994, Chief Justice Rehnquist appointed Heyburn to serve on the Budget Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. In January 1997, Heyburn was appointed Chair of the Budget Committee and served in that capacity until December 2004. In that role Heyburn led the development of the appropriations request for the federal judiciary. He testified many times before various House and Senate committees on budget issues. He consulted with the Republic of Ireland judiciary during the reform of their justice system.

In June 2007, Chief Justice Roberts appointed Heyburn as Chair of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. The Panel decides whether cases in districts around the nation including overlapping nationwide or statewide class actions, should be centralized in a single judicial district for pretrial purposes.

Heyburn spoke throughout the country on the congressional budget process, the independent judiciary and the role of the Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in complex litigation.

Notable cases

Heyburn presided over Maker's Mark v. Diageo North America, et al., 703

On February 11, 2014, Heyburn ruled in Bourke v. Beshear that the Commonwealth of Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where those unions are legal.^[4]

On July 1, 2014, Heyburn ruled again in favor of same sex marriage, declaring that same-sex couples have a right to marry in Kentucky. He wrote "In America, even sincere and long-hold religious beliefs do not trump the constitutional rights of those who happen to have been out-voted", in response to arguments put forth by attorney Leigh Latherow, who was hired by Gov. Steve Beshear to defend the ban. The argument put forth by the Ashland attorney was solely justified by the assertion that traditional marriages contribute to a more stable birth rate, which in turn bolsters the state's economic health. Heyburn was quoted, "These arguments are not those of serious people."^[5]

References