Judge John D. Bates, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is the 2025 recipient of the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. Bates received the award in an Oct. 16 ceremony presided over by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., at the U.S. Supreme Court, and attended by five Associate Justices. For 41 years, the Devitt Award has honored an Article III judge who has had a distinguished career and made significant contributions to the administration of justice, the advancement of the rule of law, and the improvement of society as a whole. As Chief Justice Roberts noted, it “has long been considered the most prestigious honor in our branch of government.” Recipients are chosen by a committee of federal judges. This year, the committee was chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and included Judge John Z. Lee, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.…