Richard E. Myers II

Richard Ernest Myers II (born 1967) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. He was appointed in 2019 by President Donald Trump, and he has been the chief judge of the district court since 2021. Before his appointment, Myers was a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Early life and education

Myers was born in 1967 in Kingston, Jamaica. He moved with his family to Wilmington, North Carolina, as a child. His voter registration states that he belongs to "two or more races." He graduated in 1998 with a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, and Order of the Coif membership. Myers was nominated to a seat that had been vacant since December 31, 2005, at the time was the longest federal judicial vacancy. On September 11, 2019, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On October 31, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–6 vote. On December 4, 2019, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 72–22 vote. On December 5, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 68–21 vote. He received his judicial commission on December 10, 2019. Myers became chief judge in January 2021. He maintains chambers in Wilmington.

Memberships

Myers has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2004. He has been a member of the National Rifle Association of America since 2010. He has been a member of the Christian Legal Society since 2004, of which he serves as a faculty advisor. Myers agreed that the Amnesty Act of 1872 applied not only retroactively to Confederate officials, but also in perpetuity regarding future rebellions. This interpretation was later rejected by an appeals court, which ruled that this law applied only to people who committed "constitutionally wrongful acts" before 1872.