{ "id": "epp67v5w2t", "slug": "alan-e-norris", "title": "Alan E. Norris", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Alan E. Norris, also known as Alan Eugene Norris, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2001.", "snippet": "Alan E. Norris, also known as Alan Eugene Norris, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2001.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "markdown": "# Alan E. Norris\n\nAlan Eugene Norris (born 1935) is an American jurist serving as a senior judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-sixth-circuit) since 2001.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) He was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 and assumed senior status on July 1, 2001.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n| Confirmed | June 6, 1986, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n| Senior status | July 1, 2001[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n| Born | 1935, Columbus, Ohio[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n| Education | B.A., Otterbein College, 1957; LL.B., New York University School of Law, 1960; LL.M., University of Virginia School of Law, 1986[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nNorris was born in 1935 in [Columbus, Ohio](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbus-ohio).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Otterbein College in 1957 and a [Bachelor of Laws](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-laws) from New York University School of Law in 1960.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) He later earned a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1986, the year he joined the federal bench.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816)\n\n## Legal career\n\nNorris began his career as a law clerk to Judge Kingsley A. Taft of the [Supreme Court of Ohio](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-ohio) from 1960 to 1961.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) He then practiced law, first in Columbus from 1961 to 1962 and then in Westerville from 1962 to 1980.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) During the same period, he served as a state representative in Ohio from 1967 to 1980 and taught as an instructor at Otterbein College from 1976 to 1980.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) In 1980 he became a judge on the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Tenth Appellate District, where he served until 1986.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Ronald Reagan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronald-reagan) nominated Norris to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on April 22, 1986, to a seat vacated by Judge Leroy John Contie, Jr.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on June 6, 1986, and he received his commission on July 1, 1986.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816) He served as an active judge until assuming senior status on July 1, 2001, and continues to serve on the court in that capacity.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816)\n\n## Notable cases\n\n**R. K. v. Bill Lee.** Norris authored the opinion in R. K. v. Bill Lee, a challenge to Tennessee law.[2](https://benchlight.org/judges/alan-eugene-norris)\n\n**Kentucky ultrasound law.** Norris, a senior judge on the Sixth Circuit, joined the majority in the court's decision lifting a block of Kentucky's ultrasound law, House Bill 2.[3](https://www.courthousenews.com/sixth-circuit-lifts-block-of-kentucky-ultrasound-abortion-law/) Judge Bernice B. Donald dissented, writing that the law regulates the content of physician speech and is subject to strict scrutiny.[3](https://www.courthousenews.com/sixth-circuit-lifts-block-of-kentucky-ultrasound-abortion-law/)\n\n**United States v. Kyle Wagner.** Norris authored the opinion in United States v. Kyle Wagner.[2](https://benchlight.org/judges/alan-eugene-norris)\n\n**Jason Cunningham v. Shelby County, Tennessee.** Norris authored the opinion in Jason Cunningham v. Shelby County, Tennessee.[2](https://benchlight.org/judges/alan-eugene-norris)\n\n**Church Joint Venture, L.P. v. Earl Blasingame.** Norris authored an opinion in Church Joint Venture, L.P. v. Earl Blasingame.[2](https://benchlight.org/judges/alan-eugene-norris)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Alan Eugene Norris](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385816)\n2. [U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Opinions](https://benchlight.org/judges/alan-eugene-norris)\n3. [Sixth Circuit Lifts Block of Kentucky Ultrasound Abortion Law](https://www.courthousenews.com/sixth-circuit-lifts-block-of-kentucky-ultrasound-abortion-law/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States courts of appeals judges › Surnames K to N*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Alan E. Norris\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Alan E. Norris](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Alan E. Norris\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-e-norris. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Alan E. Norris, also known as Alan Eugene Norris, is an American jurist serving as a senior judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2001." }