Education
Born in Lexington, Virginia, Granade graduated from Hollins College with her Bachelor"s degree in 1972 and later from University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1975.
Born in Lexington, Virginia, Granade graduated from Hollins College with her Bachelor"s degree in 1972 and later from University of Texas School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 1975.
She joined the court in 2002 after being nominated by President George West. Bush in 2001. She is the granddaughter of former Judge Richard Rives, the federal judge who wrote the majority opinion in Browder v. Gayle finding Montgomery, Alabama"s bus segregation unconstitutional.
Following law school graduation, she became a law clerk to John Godbold of the United States. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit from 1975 to 1976.
She was an assistant United States. Attorney in the Southern District of Alabama from 1977 to 2001, and an interim United States. Attorney in that district from 2001 to 2002. On the recommendation of Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby, Granade was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama by President George West. Bush on September 4, 2001, to a seat vacated when Alex T. Howard, Junior. retired from Federal Judicial Service in senior status.
Granade was confirmed by the Senate on February 4 and received her commission on February 12, 2002. She served as Chief Judge from 2003 to 2010.
She assumed senior status on March 7, 2016.
Searcy v. Strange
On January 23, 2015, Granade issued a ruling striking down Alabama"s ban on same-sex marriage as a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment"s guarantees of equal protection and due process.