Stephanie D. Thacker

What is your current job title?

U.S. Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Can you tell us the basics of what your job entails?

I am one of 15 active judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Our court decides all federal appeals in each of the five states within our circuit. Those five states are Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Can you tell us a little about your career background?

I graduated magna cum laude in 1987 from Marshall University with a degree in business administration. In 1990, I graduated Order of the Coif from the West Virginia University College of Law, where I served as a member of the West Virginia Law Review and the editor of the coal issue of the West Virginia Law Review.

For the 22 years I practiced law, I worked both in the civil and criminal litigation arenas. I began my legal career as an associate with a Pittsburgh law firm.

I served as a federal prosecutor for 12 years, both at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and at the Department of Justice in the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. During my tenure with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I served as part of the trial team in the first federal domestic violence prosecution in the country pursuant to the Violence Against Women Act. I also coordinated a number of prosecution initiatives aimed at combating crimes of particular import in West Virginia, including domestic violence, child support and federal coal mine safety violations. In addition to the obvious charges, these types of crimes included prosecutions for firearms violations, tax evasion, fraud and money laundering.

While with the Department of Justice, I rose through the ranks from trial attorney to principal deputy chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. During my time with the department, I prosecuted and went to trial on cases in multiple jurisdictions, spearheaded several nationwide initiatives and provided training both nationally and internationally on the prosecution of child sexual exploitation crimes.

I also was co-author of the Department of Justice Federal Child Support Prosecution Handbook. For my work on the Innocence Lost Initiative, a national initiative aimed at combating child sex trafficking, I was awarded the Assistant Attorney General’s Special Initiative Award. Ultimately, I was awarded the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for my work as part of the trial team in United States v. Malachi York. York was the leader of a cult-like organization based in Georgia. Following trial, he was convicted on federal charges of transporting minors across state lines for the purposes of child sexual molestation, as well as racketeering and financial reporting violations. York's case was reported at that time as the largest prosecution for child molestation ever directed at a single person in the history of the United States, both in terms of number of victims and number of incidents.

Following my tenure with the Department of Justice, I was in private practice in Charleston, West Virginia, where I engaged in litigation practice concentrating on complex litigation, environmental and toxic tort and criminal defense.

In September 2011, I was nominated by the president to fill a vacancy on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. I was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 16, 2012.

I like to maintain a busy schedule. So, in addition to my service on the Fourth Circuit, I have also served by designation on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. Additionally, I have been designated as a federal district court judge in the Middle District of North Carolina, the District of Maryland and the Western District of Virginia.

How did your time at Marshall help prepare you? Are you glad you chose Marshall, and why?

I am absolutely glad I chose Marshall University. I would not be where I am today without the education, opportunity, growth and experience I gained at Marshall. Marshall University prepares graduates for real life. Graduates of Marshall are wellrounded and prepared to exist equally in a big city as down a country road. Most importantly, Marshall University is the university in West Virginia that educates West Virginians.

Were there any scholarships, mentors or opportunities that were instrumental in your choosing Marshall?

I am not sure I would have been able to attend college at all without benefit of the Pell grant and the work study program. I am forever grateful. I particularly enjoyed the work study program because it afforded me the opportunity to gain employment experience while contributing to my tuition. As part of this program, I worked at the library — which really lived up to the name "work study!"— and in the marketing department which was also quite helpful since marketing was my major.

Favorite experiences as a Marshall student?

One of the things that most moved me during my time at Marshall and solidified my connection to the Marshall community was the yearly memorial service for the victims of the 1970 plane crash when the Memorial Fountain is turned off, and then each spring when the fountain springs to life again signifying that though we will never forget those that were lost, we carry on. I continue to take time to pause each Nov. 14 to remember the souls lost that day.

Are you involved with Marshall now? Can you talk about your latest involvement?

I am committed to remaining involved in supporting Marshall University by accepting opportunities to engage with the students, particularly through the pre-law and criminal justice programs. I was most honored to be a part of bringing the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to hear oral arguments at Marshall in 2022, which was the first time in the history of the court.

Can you tell us what you’re passionate about? Why do you love it, why is it important, and what should people know about it that they might not realize?

Connecting with nature is important to me and to my mental health. John Muir described it best, saying, "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

What have you learned through your career and life experiences that is worth passing on?

I have learned that life cannot always be planned out, that you should not shy away from opportunity when it presents itself, and that you should always leave room for serendipity.