Richard L. Young

Richard L. Young (born 1953) is a District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.

Born in Davenport, Iowa, Young received a B.A. from Drake University in 1975 and a J.D. from George Mason University School of Law in 1980. He was in private practice in Evansville, Indiana from 1980 to 1990, also serving as a public defender (part-time) for the Vanderburgh Circuit Court from 1983 to 1985, and as corporation counsel to the City of Evansville, from 1985 to 1987. He was a circuit judge of the Vanderburgh Circuit Court from 1990 to 1998.

On July 15, 1997, Young was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana vacated by Gene E. Brooks. Young was confirmed by the United States Senate in an 81-0 vote on March 2, 1998, and received his commission on March 6, 1998. He served as Chief Judge from 2009 to 2016.

On June 25, 2014, Judge Young struck down Indiana's ban on same-sex marriage without issuing a stay of his ruling. This ruling was affirmed by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and review was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sources

• Richard L. Young at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.