Ellen Segal Huvelle

Ellen Judith Huvelle (née Segal; born June 3, 1948) is an inactive Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. She has overseen several significant cases. In a case decided in May 2001, Huvelle "upheld federal regulations that restrict the sale of consumers' names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers." Later that year, Huvelle heard requests by family members of Vince Foster seeking access to pictures of his body taken after his death. In November 2005, she accepted the guilty plea in the high-profile prosecution of lobbyist Michael Scanlon. Huvelle assumed senior status on June 3, 2014.

Early life and career Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Huvelle grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and graduated from Newton High School in 1966.

Education She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College in 1970 and a Master in City Planning from the Yale School of Architecture in 1972. With her father and brother both lawyers, Huvelle focused on the law While serving on that court, she was a lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law from 1997 to 1999.

Federal judicial service On March 25, 1999, Huvelle was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, vacated by John Garrett Penn. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 15, 1999, receiving her commission on October 26, 1999. Senator Patrick Leahy cited the long delays in Huvelle's confirmation as United States District Judge as a troubling example of problems in the confirmation process. She took senior status on June 3, 2014.

Notable opinions Privacy and "opt out" According to CNN Huvelle played a key role in ensuring that ordinary consumers can opt out of information collection on their personal information.

Murat Kurnaz v. George W. Bush Huvelle made a ruling on Guantanamo captive Murat Kurnaz's habeas corpus petition in Murat Kurnaz v. George W. Bush.

XM Radio In the summer of 2006 Huvelle amalgamated related cases into a class action against In re XM Satellite Radio Holdings Securities Litigation, C.A. No. 06-0802.

Former Interior Deputy Secretary J. Steven Griles Huvelle ruled on the sentencing of former Deputy Secretary of the Interior J. Steven Griles.

Drone strikes In February 2016, Huvelle found that the next friend of Yemenis killed in a U.S. drone strike could not sue under the Torture Victims Protection Act nor the Alien Tort Statute because the attack raised a political question.

Personal life Huvelle is married to labor lawyer Jeffrey Huvelle.