About the Author

Judge Stearns received his law degree from Harvard Law School. He earned a B.A. with great distinction from Stanford University and a master's degree from Oxford University where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Judge Stearns began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Norfolk County where he headed the Career Criminal Prosecution Unit. In 1982, he joined the United States Attorney's Office in Boston where he served as Chief of the Criminal Division, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, and Senior Litigation Counsel. Judge Stearns was appointed as an Associate Justice of the Superior Court in 1990. In 1993, he was nominated by President Clinton to serve as a judge on the Federal District Court. In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Stearns serves as an advisor on rule of law issues for the Department of Defense. He lectures frequently in the U.S. and abroad on issues related to nuclear counter-proliferation and terrorism.