predecessor successor birth_place office birth_date term_start appointer article_title term_end name alma_mater
thomas stat . 5089 '' rutherford brett '' new seat authorized by 104 sven erik holmes john e. dowdell clinton , oklahoma , u.s. senior the northern district of oklahoma chief judge of the united judge states district court for the northern district of oklahoma judge of of the united states district court for the northern district the of oklahoma united states district court for 1944 january 4 , 2010 1996 june 9 , 1994 bill clinton terence c. kern
 2003 january 4 , 2010 terence c. kern oklahoma state university university of oklahoma college of law
terence c. kern

terence c. kern -lrb- born 1944 -rrb- is a senior united states federal judge of the united states district court for the northern district of oklahoma .
born in clinton , oklahoma , kern received a b.s. from oklahoma state university in 1966 and a j.d. from the university of oklahoma college of law in 1969 .
he was in the united states army reserve from 1969 to 1975 .
he was a general attorney of federal trade commission , division of compliance , bureau of deceptive practices from 1969 to 1970 .
he was in private practice in ardmore , oklahoma from 1970 to 1994 .
kern is a federal judge on the united states district court for the northern district of oklahoma .
kern was nominated by president bill clinton on march 9 , 1994 , to a new seat created by 104 stat .
5089 .
he was confirmed by the united states senate on june 8 , 1994 , and received his commission on june 9 , 1994 .
he served as chief judge from 1996-2003 .
he assumed senior status on january 4 , 2010 .
on january 14 , 2014 , judge kern held that the oklahoma constitution 's definition of marriage as limited to `` the union of one man and one woman '' violates the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment .
the suit , `` bishop v. oklahoma '' , had been filed by two lesbian couples against the tulsa county clerk and others .
the ruling has been stayed pending appeal .
the amendment banning same-sex marriage was passed by the voters in 2004 , and its legislative history was cited in the ruling .
