Meet Obama's new US Circuit Judicial Nominees (with court composition analysis/graphs)

[usregimechange]

Jane Stranch: Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
56 years old.
To fill vacant - seat 16, formerly held by Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey who was nominated by William J. Clinton on August 6, 1993.

Jane Stranch is a member of the Nashville law firm Branstetter, Stranch and Jennings, where she has developed a national practice in labor and employment law and specializes in complex ERISA litigation. Her ERISA work has required Stranch to develop an understanding of one of the most complex and rapidly changing areas of federal law as it develops across the federal circuits. Stranch’s extensive practice has given her significant experience in alternative forms of dispute resolution including mediation and arbitration. She has also practiced before the Tennessee Regulatory Authority where she worked on a range of environmental issues. She has taught labor law at Belmont University and served on the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee. She is also an active member of her community and dedicates considerable time to pro bono work, civic matters, and her church. She received her BA from Vanderbilt University in 1975 and her JD from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1978 (White House, 2009 - see link below).

Law firm link to her bio:
http://www.branstetterlaw.com/article.aspx?a=23

6th Circuit by party of nominating President


Discussion:
The new court will still have 10-6 Republican majority if she is confirmed, which is no change in the composition but the liberal bloc of the court will get younger. As always this assumes that the party of the nominating President is a good indicator of ideology.





Judge Thomas Vanaskie: Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
55 years old.
To fill a vacant seat formerly held by Judge Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen, Nominated by George W. Bush on November 21, 2003.

Judge Thomas Vanaskie currently serves as a federal district court judge in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He was appointed to that position in 1994, and served as Chief Judge of the District from 1996 to 2006. He has served as Co-Chair of the Third Circuit Library Resources Task Force and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Judges Association. He is also the Chair of the Third Circuit Judicial Council’s Information Technology Committee. He was previously a Vice-President and Board Member of the law firm Elliott, Vanaskie & Riley in Scranton and prior to that, a partner in the Scranton office of Dilworth, Paxson, Kalish, & Kauffman. After graduating from Lycoming College in 1975 and Dickinson School of Law in 1978, Judge Vanaskie began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable William J. Nealon, then Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (White House, 2009 - see link below).

Federal Judicial page:
http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=2437

Third Circuit by party of nominating President:


Discussion:
The confirmation of this nominee will turn the Third Circuit blue because he will replace a formerly held Republican nominee on a divided court. Obama has already nominated Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. to fill the other seat, which was also formerly held by a Republican nominee. In short, the 3rd Circuit is changing, it will be an 8-6 Democratic majority.


White House Press Release:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Nominates-Jane-Stranch-for-United-States-Court-of-Appeals-for-the-Sixth-Circuit-Judge-Thomas-Vanaskie-for-United-States-Court-of-Appeals-for-the-Third-Circ/

[Joanne98]

1. I just hope they're not corporate hacks.

[usregimechange]

4. Stranch worked for the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee

[babylonsister]

2. Movin' on up hopefully! Rec'd. nt

[Uzybone]

3. good news, thanks

[usregimechange]

7. Your welcome

[usregimechange]

5. He nominated some District judges as well, more on them soon

[usregimechange]

6. More on his district judge nominations from today:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6250108