Janis Graham Jack

American judge (born 1946)

Janis Ann Graham Jack (born May 28, 1946) is an American lawyer who serves as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas .

Education and career

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Jack was born in Los Angeles . She received a registered nursing diploma from St. Thomas School of Nursing (part of the University of St. Thomas ) in 1969, a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Baltimore in 1974, and a Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in 1981. She was in private practice in Corpus Christi , Texas from 1981 to 1993.

Federal judicial service

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On November 19, 1993, Jack was nominated by President Bill Clinton

to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas created by 104 Stat. 5089. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 10, 1994, and received her commission on March 11, 1994. She assumed senior status on June 1, 2011. Jack left the court on October 14, 2025.

Notable rulings

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In June 2005, Jack threw out about 9,000 suits against US Silica corp.

In 2015, Jack ruled in favor of plaintiffs in a class action suit (M.D. v. Abbott) on behalf of 10,000-plus foster children in care of the State of Texas, saying leaders were violating the constitutional rights of the children in its long-term foster care. With much of her ruling sustained on appeal, Jack continues to supervise the case as late as 2024, holding the State in contempt of court and often expressing "disgust" at the State of Texas’ failure to care for foster children.

On October 11, 2024, however, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed her contempt order, held that the State of Texas had substantially complied with her previous orders, and removed her from the case.

References

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1. ↑ Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, Second Session, on Confirmation of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, January 27; February 3, 24; March 2, 3, 10, and 16, 1994 . U.S. Government Printing Office. 1995. p. 638.
2. ↑ Carroll, Stephen J.; Lloyd Dixon; James M. Anderson; Thor Hogan; Elizabeth M. Sloss (December 4, 2009). "Diagnostic Abuse in Silica Litigation" . RAND Corporation. Retrieved June 17, 2026.

 Weiss, Debra Cassens. ["Judge with 'highly antagonistic demeanor' must be removed from foster care case, 5th Circuit says"](https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/judge-with-highly-antagonistic-demeanor-must-be-removed-from-foster-care-case-5th-circuit-says?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email&promo=&utm_id=917322&sfmc_id=50767571)
. _ABAJournal.com_. American Bar Association. Retrieved 24 October 2024.

1. ↑ Confirmation Hearings on Federal Appointments: Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, First Session on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary . U.S. Government Printing Office. 1995. p. 638. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
2. ↑ "Judge Janis Graham Jack is our 2016 Texan of the Year" . Dallas Morning News Interactives. December 23, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
3. ↑ Denis Steven Rutkus (September 20, 2006). Judicial Nominations by President Clinton During the 103rd–106th Congresses (Report). Congressional Research Service. 98-510 GOV. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
4. ↑ Janis Graham Jack at the _Biographical Directory of Federal Judges _, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center .
5. ↑ "History of District Judges" . Southern District of Texas. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
6. ↑ Kimberly Strassel, "Ulizio: He fought the Tort Bar—and Won", _Wall Street Journal _, May 2, 2009.
7. ↑ Judicial Hellholes 2005 (PDF) (Report). American Tort Reform Association. 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
8. ↑ "M.D. v. Abbott" . Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
9. ↑ ”Editorial: Righteous anger, disgust at treatment of foster kids,” San Antonio Express-News, October 17, 2020.
10. ↑ Bohra, Neelam (February 9, 2021). "Judge says Texas officials need to speed up foster care reforms" . The Texas Tribune. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
11. ↑ Oxner, Reese (2022-03-30). "Judge loses trust in Texas' child abuse investigation of foster care facility and calls for federal inquiry" . The Texas Tribune. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
12. ↑ ["United States Court

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In June 2005, Jack threw out about 9,000 suits against US Silica corp.

In 2015, Jack ruled in favor of plaintiffs in a class action suit (M.D. v. Abbott) on behalf of 10,000-plus foster children in care of the State of Texas, saying leaders were violating the constitutional rights of the children in its long-term foster care. With much of her ruling sustained on appeal, Jack continues to supervise the case as late as 2024, holding the State in contempt of court and often expressing "disgust" at the State of Texas’ failure to care for foster children.

On October 11, 2024, however, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed her contempt order, held that the State of Texas had substantially complied with her previous orders, and removed her from the case.

References

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