Topic: Violence Against Women Act
Interview of Deanell Tacha, April 12, 2023
Interviewed by Jim Concannon
Jim Concannon guides retired federal Judge Deanell Tacha through an interview that probes her background, reasons for becoming a lawyer, and then a judge on the United States Court of Appeals, and her career in public service as an administrator and professor of law. Tacha spoke about how women were treated in law school and during her early law practice. She advocated for the advancement of women in law and the workplace. Tacha credited Kansas' U.S Senator Bob Dole for her nomination to the federal Court of Appeals. She compared the federal system of selecting judges Show Morewith the Kansas merit selection system and prefers the Kansas nonpartisan system. Tacha explained how the federal judiciary is organized, focusing on the kinds of cases they hear. She related a story about a trip she took to Albania to assist with developing a new constitution for the country, discussed her experience as Dean of the Law School at Pepperdine University, and closed with an observation about "thoughtful, civilized discourse". Show Less