Thomas Breen file photo
Judge Arterton at a 2022 citizenship ceremony on the Green.
After 28 years on the federal bench, New Haven-based U.S. District of Connecticut Judge Janet Bond Arterton plans to retire this October.
The U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut announced Arterton’s planned retirement in a Wednesday morning press release.
Arterton — who was tapped for her role in 1995 by then-President Bill Clinton and who is also the chair of the Committee of the Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in New Haven — has long presided over a courtroom at New Haven’s federal district courthouse at 141 Church St.
The press release states that she oversaw thousands of cases, including the 2003 corruption trial of Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim and the 2006 affirmative action lawsuit brought by a group of New Haven firefighters, during her tenure.
“She has been a dedicated and respected member of the bench and a role model for newer members of the Court, as well as many others in the legal profession, and her daily presence among us will be missed by her colleagues and court staff,” Chief Judge Michael P. Shea is quoted as saying in the press release.
See below for Wednesday’s full press release. And click here, here, and herefor previous Independent articles about court cases — and Green-hosted citizenship ceremonies — that Arterton has presided over.
Judge Janet Bond Arterton Retirement Press Release
The Honorable Janet Bond Arterton has announced her retirement from the bench of the District of Connecticut effective October 15, 2023. Judge Arterton will assume inactive senior status.
Chief Judge Michael P. Shea praised Judge Arterton’s service to the Court. “Judge Arterton has served our Court with distinction for 28 years. She has been a dedicated and respected member of the bench and a role model for newer members of the Court, as well as many others in the legal profession, and her daily presence among us will be missed by her colleagues and court staff,” he said.
During her tenure, Judge Arterton has presided over thousands of cases, leaving a lasting impact on the Connecticut legal landscape. Some of her many high‐profile cases include the 2003 corruption trial of Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, the 2006 affirmative action lawsuit brought by New Haven firefighters, which reached the U.S. Supreme Court, and the 2014 corruption trial of former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland. She also presided over the District’s only death penalty trials.
Chief Judge Shea thanked Judge Arterton for her service to the Court, which, in addition to her case work, has included presiding over the New Haven Support Court, a program that provides support to federal defendants struggling with drug or alcohol addictions, and the Court’s Jury Committee, which helps ensure the selection of fair, representative jurors.
Judge Arterton was nominated by President Bill Clinton and sworn in as a United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut on May 15, 1995. She was raised in Princeton, New Jersey, where she was elected Coroner of Mercer County at the age of 21. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Northeastern University School of Law. She clerked in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey before beginning her litigation career in New Haven, Connecticut with the law firm formerly known as Garrison & Arterton, P.C., focused on employment and labor law.
In addition to her work on the District Court, Judge Arterton has sat by designation with the Courts of Appeals for the Second, Ninth, and Federal Circuits and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. From 2002‐2008, she served on the Judicial Conference Committee on International Relations, sharing her experience with judges from 13 other countries. She serves on the Board of the Federal Judges Association and is the current Chair of the historic Committee of the Proprietors of the Common and Undivided Lands in New Haven.
Among numerous recognitions, she was awarded the Connecticut Bar Association’s Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award for contributions to the administration of justice and, in 2015, Connecticut’s intellectual property bar established the Judge Janet Bond Arterton Intellectual Property American Inn of Court in her honor.
In announcing her retirement, Judge Arterton expressed her gratitude to the Connecticut legal community and to the people of Connecticut for their support and trust throughout her career.