Steven J. McAuliffe

Who is Steven J. McAuliffe?

Steven James McAuliffe is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire. He is the widower of Christa McAuliffe, one of the victims of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Steven McAuliffe graduated from Virginia Military Institute as a member of the class of 1970. Christa had his VMI ring with her on the shuttle. His classmates replaced this important memento.

He studied law at the Georgetown University Law Center from 1970 to 1973. He was a captain in the U.S. Army JAG Corps from 1973-77. From 1977-80, he was an assistant attorney general in New Hampshire. He was in private practice in Concord, New Hampshire from 1980 until his appointment to the federal bench in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush. He became Chief Judge of the New Hampshire district in 2004 on the expiration of Paul J. Barbadoro's term as Chief Judge, serving in that capacity until 2011. He took senior status on April 1, 2013.

Originally from Massachusetts, McAuliffe now lives in Concord, New Hampshire, where he serves as a Federal judge. Steve continues to serve as a Founding Director for Challenger Center for Space Science Education.