Leonard Steven Grasz

Leonard Steven Grasz is a United States circuit judge on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, having served in that capacity since early 2018 after his appointment by President Donald J. Trump. Born in 1961 in Chappell, Nebraska, he built a career that combined public service, private practice, and political involvement before joining the federal judiciary. His professional trajectory includes eleven years as chief deputy attorney general of Nebraska, senior partnership at Husch Blackwell, and participation in several conservative advocacy organizations. Grasz’s nomination generated notable discussion regarding his qualifications, highlighted by an unprecedented unanimous “not qualified” rating from the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary.

Early life and legal career

Leonard Steven Grasz grew up on a family farm in Chappell, Nebraska, where he participated in agricultural youth programs such as 4‑H and the Future Farmers of America, eventually serving as a state officer for the latter. During his secondary education he was active in athletics, playing basketball and competing on the track team at a high school whose graduating class numbered thirty‑three students.

He pursued higher education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in agriculture in 1984. Continuing at the University of Nebraska College of Law, Grasz graduated in 1989 after distinguishing himself academically: he was inducted into the Order of the Coif, held the position of executive editor for the Nebraska Law Review, and received an award recognizing him as the top oral advocate among his peers.

Grasz’s early professional experience began with a legislative internship and staff role for Representative Virginia D. Smith, a Republican congresswoman from Nebraska’s third district who served from 1975 to 1991. Following this period he practiced law briefly as an associate at the Omaha firm Kutak Rock.

In 1990, Grasz entered state government service, ultimately spending eleven years as chief deputy attorney general of Nebraska. In that capacity he supervised the civil and appellate divisions of the Attorney General’s Office, managed the issuance of official opinions by the Attorney General, and oversaw representation of constitutional officers and legislators in both state and federal courts. His tenure included authoring nine briefs before the United States Supreme Court and serving as counsel of record in *Stenberg v. Carhart* (2000), a case involving Nebraska’s ban on partial‑birth abortion.

After leaving public service, Grasz joined the Omaha office of Husch Blackwell in 2002 and was elevated to senior partner in 2013. While in private practice he litigated matters that challenged state constitutional restrictions on agricultural land ownership under the Commerce Clause, and he also performed lobbying work. His political affiliations were reflected in roles such as general counsel to the Nebraska Republican Party from 2007 to 2013, and later as legal counsel, treasurer, and secretary for Pete Ricketts’s gubernatorial campaigns between 2013 and 2017.

Grasz contributed opinion pieces to public discourse, including a 2012 editorial that criticized Chief Justice John Roberts for what the author described as an expansive interpretation of federal power in *National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius*. In 2017 he became involved with the Nebraska chapter of the Federalist Society, serving on its steering committee, and held board positions with conservative advocacy groups such as the Nebraska Family Alliance and Nebraskans for the Death Penalty.

Federal appellate service

President Donald J. Trump nominated Grasz to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on August 3, 2017, filling the vacancy created when Judge William J. Riley assumed senior status in June of that year. The nomination proceeded to a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing held on November 1, 2017.

During the confirmation process the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary issued an unprecedented unanimous “not qualified” rating for Grasz, citing concerns about temperament, perceived bias, and lack of open‑mindedness. This marked the first time a circuit court nominee received such a rating since 2006. Republican senators from Nebraska defended Grasz, asserting that the ABA’s evaluation was based on incomplete information and exhibited partisan bias. The committee chair later suggested that additional materials submitted by Grasz indicated errors in the ABA’s assessment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee ultimately reported his nomination out of committee by an 11–9 vote on December 7, 2017. Cloture was invoked on December 11, 2017 with a narrow margin, and the full Senate confirmed Grasz on December 12, 2017 by a vote of fifty to forty‑eight. Following confirmation, he received his commission and began active service on the Eighth Circuit in 2018.

As an appellate judge, Grasz participates in panels that review cases arising from district courts within the circuit’s jurisdiction, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. His responsibilities encompass interpreting federal statutes, constitutional provisions, and precedent to resolve a broad array of civil and criminal matters. While specific opinions authored by Grasz are not detailed in the source material, his background in state appellate work, Supreme Court advocacy, and private practice informs his approach to the adjudicative process.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Leonard Steven Grasz’s career reflects a blend of governmental service, private litigation, and political engagement that preceded his appointment to the federal bench. His extensive experience as chief deputy attorney general provided him with insight into both civil and appellate advocacy at the state level, including direct involvement in Supreme Court litigation concerning contentious policy issues such as abortion regulation.

The controversy surrounding his ABA rating underscores a broader dialogue about the criteria used to assess judicial nominees and the role of professional organizations in that evaluation. Support from Nebraska’s congressional delegation and bipartisan figures highlighted divergent perspectives on Grasz’s qualifications, while the narrow confirmation votes illustrated the partisan dynamics often present in contemporary judicial confirmations.

Since joining the Eighth Circuit, Grasz has contributed to the development of federal appellate jurisprudence within a circuit that addresses significant legal questions ranging from agricultural regulation—an area aligned with his academic background—to criminal law and constitutional rights. His participation on the bench adds a voice shaped by years of litigation before both state and federal courts, as well as experience in legislative advocacy and political strategy.

Grasz’s legacy will be measured through the opinions he authors, the precedential impact of those decisions, and his influence on the legal community within the Eighth Circuit. His trajectory from a rural Nebraska upbringing to a federal appellate judgeship exemplifies a pathway that combines local roots with national judicial responsibility. As an active circuit judge, his ongoing contributions continue to shape the interpretation and application of United States law across the Midwestern states under the jurisdiction of the Eighth Circuit.