Thomas Rice

Thomas Rice

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

Tenure

2012 - Present

Years in position

12

Education

Bachelor's

Gonzaga University, 1983

Law

Gonzaga University Law, 1983

Personal

Birthplace

Spokane, Wash.

Thomas Rice is a federal judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. He joined the court in 2012 after an appointment from President Barack Obama (D). Rice served as chief judge of the court from 2016 to 2020. Before joining the court, Rice served as an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.

Education

Green received a B.B.A. from Gonzaga University in 1983 and a J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1986.

Professional career

• 2006-2012: First assistant district attorney, Eastern District of Washington
• 1987-2006: Assistant United States attorney
• 1986-1987: Trial attorney, Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice
• 1986: Law clerk, Delay, Curran, Thompson & Pontarolo

Judicial career

Eastern District of Washington

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Thomas Rice
Court: Eastern District of Washington
Progress
Confirmed 251 days after nomination.
ANominated: June 29, 2011
AABA Rating: Substantial Majority Qualified, Minority Not Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
AHearing: September 20, 2011
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
AReported:
AConfirmed: March 6, 2012
AVote: 93-4

On June 29, 2011, Rice was nominated to the federal bench by President Barack Obama (D) to the seat vacated by Robert Whaley. Of the nomination, Obama said, “I am honored to nominate these distinguished individuals to serve on the United States District Court bench. They have both demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice throughout their careers, and I am confident they will continue to serve the American people with integrity.”

He was rated Substantial Majority Qualified, Minority Not Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 20, 2011, and you can find his Committee Questionnaire here and his Questions for the Record here.

On March 6, 2012, Thomas Rice was confirmed by the United States Senate to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington with a vote of 93-4. Rice received commission on March 8, 2012. He served as chief judge of the court from 2016 to 2020.

Noteworthy cases

Slidewaters v. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (2020)

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Slidewaters v. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries: On July 14, 2020, Chief Judge Thomas Rice of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington refused to enjoin enforcement of Gov. Jay Inslee’s (D) emergency COVID-19 business restrictions. A waterpark, Slidewaters at Lake Chelan, which had been forced to shutter summer operations as a result of the restrictions, sought the injunction. In its initial motion for a temporary restraining order, the waterpark challenged Inslee’s Proclamation 20-05, proclaiming a state of emergency for all counties in Washington; Proclamation 20-25.4, a four-phase plan for reopening the state; and Department of Labor and Industries (LNI) emergency rule WAC 296-800-14035, which established mechanisms to enforce the mandatory business closures. Though the temporary restraining order was denied on June 12, 2020, the plaintiff continued to seek a preliminary injunction, arguing, "(1) Governor Inslee does not have the authority to issue the emergency proclamations; (2) LNI does not have authority to issue an emergency rule based on the governor's unlawful emergency proclamations; and (3) defendants' actions have violated plaintiffs' substantive due process rights." Rice rejected these arguments, finding that Washington law allows a governor to proclaim a state of emergency during times of disorder. Rice also ruled that LNI acted within its power to issue emergency rules based on the governor's proclamation. Lastly, Rice dismissed the plaintiff's substantive due process claim: "It is not the court's role to second-guess the reasoned public health decisions of other branches of government." The plaintiff appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

On July 8, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed Rice's decision. Judge Richard Clifton, writing for a unanimous three-judge panel, said, "Defendants have the authority under Washington law to impose the restrictions and ... doing so does not violate Slidewaters' asserted rights under the U.S. Constitution." The Ninth Circuit found that the state's actions were rationally connected to the legitimate state interest of mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Yakima violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in city council elections (2014)

In the eastern portion of Washington, there is a rising Hispanic population. Feeling disenfranchised by the at-large elections for city council in Yakima, Mateo Arteagas and Rogelio Montes, both Hispanic citizens, worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to seek change. Arteagas and Montes, along with the ACLU, filed suit against the city, claiming their civil rights were violated. In particular, the plaintiffs alleged that the city was violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and that Hispanic votes were not represented in the makeup of the city council.

The plaintiffs moved for summary judgment in the case. Judge Thomas Rice granted that motion on August 22, 2014, finding that the plaintiffs made their case without the need for further proceedings. In his ruling, Judge Rice said that at-large elections in the city of Yakima “suffocates” the Latino voters. Though the city was 41 percent Hispanic at the time of Judge Rice's ruling, no Latino had ever been elected to the city council. Sonia Rodriguez True, an attorney and Hispanic, was appointed to the council in 2008, but she was not elected in 2009. Judge Rice concluded that the evidence pointed to city council elections not being “open” to Latinos in the way the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires.

Now the city, the plaintiffs and the ACLU must work together to find a remedy.

Articles:

• Seattle Pi, "Federal judge rules: Yakima ‘suffocates’ its Hispanic voters," August 22, 2014
• KUOW, "Federal Judge: Yakima Election System Disenfranchises Latino Voters," August 25, 2014

See also

• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
• United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• News: Federal Courts, Empty Benches:The Wednesday Vacancy Count 3/7/2012, March 7, 2012

External links

Suggest a link

• Search Google News for this topic
• White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to the United States District Court," 6/29/2011
• Federal Judicial Center, "Official FJC Bio for Judge Rice"

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington 2012-Present	Succeeded by -

Federal judges nominated by Barack Obama
Nominated	Federal judges nominated by Barack Obama