Dr. Brent Newton

Biography

After graduating from Columbia University School of Law in 1992, where he was a senior editor for the Columbia Law Review, Professor Brent E. Newton clerked for Judge Carolyn King of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He then worked as a public defender in both state and federal court systems in Texas and Florida, representing dozens of death row inmates. Over the years, he has handled both trial and appellate cases, arguing a case before the Supreme Court of the United States in 2008. In 2009, Professor Newton was appointed deputy director of the United States Sentencing Commission, a position he held until January 2019. At the Commission, he worked on amendments to sentencing guidelines and was the primary staff author for various publications. In 2019, he practiced civil, criminal, and immigration law in Maryland and Texas. Additionally, since 2000, he has served as a lecturer, adjunct professor, and visiting professor at several law schools, including American and Georgetown Universities, the University of Houston Law Center, and Seoul National University in South Korea. Professor Newton has published three books and numerous articles and book chapters. He was elected as a member of the American Law Institute in 2010.

Research Interests