Stephen R. Clark

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Stephen R. Clark

| image = Stephen R. Clark Sr. - SBD - Federalist Society - Missouri-11 (49451142871) (cropped).jpg

| office = Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

| term_start = December 16, 2022

| term_end =

| predecessor = Rodney W. Sippel

| successor =

| office1 = Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri

| appointer1 = Donald Trump

| term_start1 = June 12, 2019

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Carol E. Jackson

| successor1 =

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1966}}

| birth_place = Evanston, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = University of Notre Dame (BA)
Saint Louis University (JD)

| party = Republican

}}

Stephen Robert Clark Sr. (born 1966) is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. He is the founder and former managing partner of the St. Louis–based Runnymede Law Group.

Biography

Clark earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame and his Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law, where he was a member of the National Moot Court Team.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-twelfth-wave-judicial-nominees-twelfth-wave-united-states-attorneys-sixth-wave-united-states-marshals/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Twelfth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Twelfth Wave of United States Attorneys, and Sixth Wave of United States Marshals" White House, April 10, 2018] {{PD-notice}}

Legal career

Prior to founding Runnymede in 2008, Clark was an equity partner at Husch Blackwell LLP, an equity shareholder at Polsinelli PC, and an officer at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. Earlier in his practice, he served as a municipal prosecutor, trying over 200 cases. Throughout his career, Clark represented clients pro bono and volunteered for numerous civic and charitable organizations. He also argued appeals in several federal and state appellate courts, including the Eighth and Tenth Circuits and the Supreme Court of Missouri.

Federal judicial service

On April 10, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Clark to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. On April 12, 2018, his nomination was sent to the Senate. He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge Carol E. Jackson, who retired on August 31, 2017. On July 11, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/07/11/2018/nominations United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for July 11, 2018] On September 13, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 vote.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/09-13-18%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting.pdf Results of Executive Business Meeting – September 13, 2018 Senate Judiciary Committee] Democrats opposed his nomination due to Clark's positions on abortion and LGBT rights.{{cite news|last1=Raasch|first1=Chuck|title=Controversial Trump judicial nominee could get Senate vote soon as a result of Blunt effort to cut debate time|url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/controversial-trump-judicial-nominee-could-get-senate-vote-soon-as/article_d6b5e11b-e24d-58ae-ac18-eb9d37f46d69.html|access-date=April 10, 2019|publisher=St. Louis Post Dispatch|date=April 8, 2019}}

On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Clark for a federal judgeship.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-judicial-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019] His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/nominations-sent-senate-2/ "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019] On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02.07.2019%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting1.pdf Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee] On May 21, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 53–45 vote.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1161/vote_116_1_00120.htm On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Stephen R. Clark, Sr., to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri)], United States Senate, May 21, 2019 On May 22, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 53–45 vote.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00124 On the Nomination (Confirmation Stephen R. Clark, Sr., of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri)], United States Senate, May 22, 2019 He received his judicial commission on June 12, 2019.{{FJC Bio|nid=6489106|inline=yes}} He was sworn in on June 14, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/news/2019/stephen-r-clark-sworn-united-states-district-judge-eastern-district-missouri |title=Stephen R. Clark Sworn In As United States District Judge For Eastern District Of Missouri|date=June 27, 2019|website=www.moed.uscourts.gov|publisher=Eastern District of Missouri|access-date=December 8, 2019}} He became chief judge on December 16, 2022.{{Cite press release|title=Hon. Stephen R. Clark Begins Term As Chief Judge For Eastern District Of Missouri, Succeeding Hon. Rodney W. Sippel|date=December 19, 2022|publisher=United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri|url=https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/news/2022/hon-stephen-r-clark-begins-term-chief-judge-eastern-district-missouri-succeeding-hon|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

Memberships

He has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2009.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Clark%20Sr.%20SJQ1.pdf United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Stephen R. Clark Sr.]