Possible Obama judicial nominations

[longwinded]

Since last month (http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8254981&mesg_id=8254981), Obama put forward the district court nominations of James Shadid (publicly recommended by Sen. Durbin in February 2010), Robert Leon Wilkins (recommended February 2010), Max Cogburn (recommended July 2009), Edward Davila, and Anthony Battaglia. Obama also nominated Susan Carney for an appeals court position.

The Kagan confirmation hearings are going to suck up a lot of oxygen in June. Nonetheless, Obama should be able to find a way to make a few more nominations. June is probably the last opportunity that he'll have to nominate someone for the court of appeals and still hope to have them confirmed during this congress - I'm hoping James Graves for the 5th circuit (he's well respected, and his vetting has been under way for at least a few months) and somebody for the Wisconsin seat on the 7th circuit (Nourse, followed by Strang or Sankovitz; please, no 70 year-old Adelman). Bush was able to nominate district court candidates as late as August of 2002 and still get them confirmed by that Congress. Same should be true for Obama and a 59 seat majority, right?

Arkansas
o Recommendations by Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor: http://lincoln.senate.gov/newsroom/2009-03-12-3.cfm ; http://lincoln.senate.gov/newsroom/USAttorneys-USMarshals.cfm ; http://pryor.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=320883
o Eastern District of Arkansas (James M. Moody's old seat): Christopher J. Heller, Denise Reid Hoggard, Amelia Mosley Russell
o Western District of Arkansas (2 vacancies; 3 recs for 1st vacancy, 1 rec for 2nd vacancy): Caroline M. Craven, Susan O. Hickey, Carlton D. Jones (replaces James S. Hudson, Jr., who was initially recommended but died in May 2009); P.K. Holmes III (nominated April 28, 2010)

Colorado
o Recommendations in June 2009 by Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall: http://markudall.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3
o District of Colorado (2 vacancies): William Martinez (nominated February 24, 2010), Christina Habas, Morris Ben Hoffman, Richard Brooke Jackson, Lael Montgomery, John F. Walsh

District of Columbia:
o District Court Recommendations in February 2010 by D.C. House Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton: http://www.mainjustice.com/2010/02/08/white-house-vetting-opr-chief-for-federal-judgeship/
o District Court for D.C. (4 vacancies): Robert L. Wilkins (nominated May 20, 2010), Mary Patrice Brown, James “Jeb” Boasberg
o D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals (2 vacancies): Amazing that Obama hasn't nominated anyone yet. Take it with a grain of salt, but a well connected yet intellectually bankrupt right-wingnut douchebag blogger (I won't link to them) says that former New York Solicitor General Caitlin J. Halligan (http://www.law.columbia.edu/fac/Caitlin_Halligan) is a leading contender. That same DB blogger says that Sri Srinivasan (http://www.omm.com/srisrinivasan/) was being considered by the White House until it got too much pushback from the left. I hope they weren't seriously considering him, because Srinivasan sounds downright conservative: Sandra Day O'Connor clerk, clerk for Bush Supreme Court candidate Harvie Wilkinson of the 4th circuit, lawyer for Jeffrey Skilling on Enron, 5 years working in Bush's Solicitor General's office. Ugh.

Florida
o The Florida Federal Judiciary Nominating Commission made recommendations to Sen. Bill Nelson in July 2009: http://www.miamiherald.com/2009/07/21/1150406/finalists-named-for-us-attorney.html
o Southern District of Florida (1 vacancy): Jerald Bagley, Robert N. Scola, Jr., Kathleen M. Williams

Georgia
o Recommendations by Democratic members of Georgia's congressional delegation (Georgia's two senators and governor are R's): http://www.dailyreportonline.com/Editorial/News/singleEdit.asp?individual_SQL=8/27/2009@34761
o Northern District of Georgia (4 vacancies): Amy M. Totenberg (nominated March 17, 2010), J. Antonio DelCampo, Leigh M. May, Albert M. Pearson III, Wayne M. Purdom, Constance C. Russell, Wendy L. Shoob, V. Natasha Perdew Silas, Gail S. Tusan, Gerald R. Weber Jr., David J. Worley

Illinois
o Recommendations by Sen. Dick Durbin: http://www.chicagoiplitigation.com/2009/08/articles/legal-news/senator-durbin-sends-northern-district-judicial-nominees-list-to-president-obama/ ; http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=322611
o Northern District of Illinois (4 vacancies, recommendations in August 2009): Sharon Coleman and Gary Feinerman (both nominated February 24, 2010), Edmond Chang (nominated April 21, 2010), Susan Cox, Thomas Durkin, Mary Rowland, Maria Valdez
o Central District of Illinois (2 vacancies, recommendations in February 2010): Judge James Shadid (nominated May 27, 2010), Colin Bruce (Assistant U.S. Attorney), Judge Sue E. Myerscough (previously nominated by Clinton for the same district, but Republicans blocked her), Judge Ronald Spears

Louisiana
o Recommendation in April 2009 by Sen. Mary Landrieu: http://landrieu.senate.gov/releases/09/2009427C07.html
o Eastern District of Louisiana: Michael Bagneris

Maine
o Recommendations in April 2010 by Reps. Michael Michaud and Chellie Pingree: http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/141036.html
o District of Maine (1 vacancy): Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy (54 yo)

Maryland
o Recommendations in December 2009 by Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-12-12/news/bal-md.nominees12dec12_1_district-judges-longest-serving-judge-district-court
o District of Maryland (3 vacancies, 1 recommendation per vacancy): Judge James K. Bredar and Judge Ellen Hollander (both nominated April 28, 2010), Judge Charles B. Day (52 yo)

Michigan
o Recommendations in June 2009 by Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow: http://levin.senate.gov/newsroom/release.cfm?id=314560
o Eastern District of Michigan (2 vacancies): Judge Mark Goldsmith (nominated February 4, 2010), Judge David Allen

Mississippi
o Recommendations will be made by a committee consisting of Democratic members of Mississippi's congressional delegation (i.e. Bennie Thompson, Travis Childers, Gene Taylor) and local Democratic leaders: http://www.neshobademocrat.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=302&ArticleID=18487
o 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ("Mississippi seat" vacated by Rhesa Barksdale): Judge James Graves ( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=860771699262546935# ) is rumored to be the front-runner ( http://www.mslitigationreview.com/2010/02/articles/5th-circuit-2/justice-james-graves-remains-5th-circuit-frontrunner )

Missouri
o Recommendations in February 2010 by Sen. Clair McCaskill: http://www.dolanmedia.com/view.cfm?recID=569818
o Eastern District of Missouri (1 vacancy): Judge Nannette Baker (52 yo), Judge Judge Thomas C. Mummert III (59 yo), Judge Angela Turner Quigless (50 yo)

New York
o Recommendation in February 2010 by Sen. Chuck Schumer: http://schumer.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=322146
o Southern District of New York (2 vacancies): Daniel Alter (Alter would be the second openly gay male nominee for a federal judicial post, after Obama nominee Edward DuMont)

North Carolina
o Recommendations by Sen. Kay Hagan: http://hagan.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=229
o Eastern District of North Carolina (1 vacancy, recommendations in July 2009): Allen Cobb, Jennifer May-Parker, Quentin Sumner

Oklahoma
o It was assumed that Gov. Brad Henry and Rep. Dan Boren would take the lead in making recommendations: http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20100121_16_A1_WSIGOm590017
o However, it looks as is the White House has started vetting candidates without consulting any Oklahoma politicians; not the Republican senators (which is not surprising) nor Boren/Henry (a little surprising): http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleid=20100523_16_A1_WASHIN822076
o 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (an "Oklahoma seat" will open up when Robert Henry retires in June 2010): The White House is considering young (early 40s, maybe, based on graduation dates) Oklahoma Cherokee Keith M. Harper (http://www.kilpatrickstockton.com/en/Who%20We%20Are/Professionals/H/HarperKeithM13797.aspx), but it looks like this nomination would be heavily opposed Republicans and likely Democrats as well. Other leading contenders are reported to be Tulsa Law dean Janet Levit (http://www.utulsa.edu/Academics/Colleges/College%20of%20Law/Faculty%20and%20Administration/L/Janet%20Levit.aspx) and former Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment Miles Tolbert (http://attorneys.crowedunlevy.com/AttorneysDetail.aspx?id=86). The Boren/Henry path might lead to Brad Henry (46 yo) pursuing his cousin's old seat; he would be the leading contender. Other contenders are former Oklahoma Attorney General Michael Turpen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott E. Williams, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Bacharach.

Oregon
o Recommendations in July 2009 by Sen. Ron Wyden: http://blogs.wweek.com/news/2009/07/28/ron-wyden-adds-marco-hernandez-as-the-sixth-name-to-judges-list/
o District Court of Oregon (2 vacancies): Thomas Balmer, Marco Hernandez (nominated by G.W. Bush to same position, but no action taken by Senate), Henry Kantor, Karsten Rasmussen, Michael Simon, Steven Wax

Texas
o The recommendation process here has been ugly. The two Republican senators are trying assert their "right" to make recommendations rather than letting the a Democratic congressional delegation perform the duty (as is customary if there is no senator/governor of the same party): http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/columnists/gary_martin/Nominations_focus_of_Texas_delegation_wrangling_.html
o In the meantime, let's assume Democratic recommendations take precedence: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/63710137.html
o Southern District of Texas (3 vacancies): Marina Garcia Marmolejo, Diana Saldaña
o Western District of Texas (2 vacancies): Javier Alvarez, Catherine Torres-Stahl

West Virginia
o Recommendation in October 2009 by Sens. Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller: http://www.register-herald.com/local/x546330689/Nick-Casey-recommended-for-federal-judgeship
o Northern District of West Virginia: Nick Casey

Wisconsin
o Recommendations in January 2010 by Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl: http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=News&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=89976
o 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ("Wisconsin seat" vacated by Terence Evans): Judge Lynn S. Adelman (U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Wisconsin; he's 70 yo...), Professor Victoria F. Nourse, Judge Richard J. Sankovitz (Milwaukee County Circuit Court), Dean A. Strang

Federal Circuit
o Obama has nominated Kathleen O'Malley and Edward DuMont to the Federal Circuit, but another vacancy will occur when Judge Haldane Robert Mayer assumes senior status on June 30, 2010.
o The short list for the nomination that ultimately went to O'Malley also included judges Jeremy Fogel, Gregory Sleet, and Patti Saris: http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202437343598
o Other possibilities include Stanford Professor Mark Lemley and Apple IP chief Chip Lutton