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Retired D.C. Circuit Judge David Tatel recounts memoir, judgecraft, and guide dog at ACUS plenary
Summary
Judge David S. Tatel discussed his memoir Vision, changes in administrative law (Chevron and major‑questions doctrine), the role of science in judging, judicial collegiality, and how his guide dog Vixen changed his mobility and independence.
Judge David S. Tatel, recently retired from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, spoke to the Administrative Conference about his new memoir Vision, the evolution of administrative law, and his experiences using a guide dog.
Tatel told an audience of ACUS members and former clerks that he sees a generational and doctrinal shift in administrative-law review. "I worry that the elimination of Chevron… will be just a slew of divided circuit court opinions," he said, warning the Court’s shift may produce more split decisions along political lines. (Judge David S. Tatel.)
He also described the influence of his scientific training and his father, a physicist, on the way he approached legal questions. On a personal note he described how his guide dog, Vixen, "has given me and my wife Edie a level of independence that neither of us has enjoyed for decades," and explained the process of applying for and training with a guide dog. (Judge David S. Tatel.)
The judge fielded questions from Christina Rodriguez and Nicholas Bagley, two former clerks and ACUS public members, about cases that shaped his record and about disability disclosure and role models for people with disabilities. Members of the assembly applauded and later presented a small gift for Vixen.
The session was conversational, blending legal reflections with personal stories, and concluded with a short Q&A with the audience before the meeting moved to business.
