Norton's Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission Accepting Applications for U.S. District Court Judgeship

November 16, 2010 

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today announced that her Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission (Commission) is accepting applications to fill a U.S. District Court judge position for the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia.  Application questionnaires are available online at: http://www.norton.house.gov/.  President Obama, like President Clinton, granted Norton senatorial courtesy to recommend federal district court judges and other important federal law enforcement officials in the District.  President Obama has sent all of Norton's recommendations to the Senate including, District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen and U.S. Parole Commission Chairman Isaac Fulwood, Jr., along with U.S. District Court judge nominees Beryl Howell and Robert Wilkins, who have been reported out of committee and are expected to be confirmed shortly.

Candidates for U.S. District Court Judge will be evaluated on: integrity, professional skills and experience, impartiality, industry, good health, high respect in the legal and local community, respect for the Bill of Rights and for the rights of all litigants, entities and parties, judicial temperament, ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, demonstrated commitment to equal justice, and decisiveness.  Diversity is also considered in federal appointments. 

Applicants must submit 20 completed copies of the application questionnaires to the office of Pauline A. Schneider, Chair, Federal Law Enforcement Nominating Commission, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Columbia Center, 1152 15^th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.  20005 by 5 p.m. on Friday, December 17, 2010.  If you have filed a completed application with the Commission for a judgeship on the federal district court since May 1, 2009, it is not necessary to file a new application, but you must provide the Commission with 20 copies of any relevant supplements to the previously filed application.  Resumes are welcome but not required.

The Congresswoman appointed 17 D.C. residents to her Commission to screen and recommend candidates from whom the Congresswoman then chooses to send to the President.  Members of the Commission are: Chair Pauline Schneider, former chair of the D.C. Bar and partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; Jon Bouker, partner, Arent Fox; Katherine Broderick, Dean, University of the District of Columbia's David Clarke School of Law; Francis D. Carter, partner, Zuckerman Spaeder and member, executive committee and board of governors, D.C. Bar; Emilio W. Cividanes, partner, Venable; Thomas R. Donahue, president emeritus, AFL-CIO; Terence C. Golden, chair, Bailey Capital Corporation; Dr. Charles Matthew Hudson, Jr., bishop, Matthews Memorial Baptist Church; Emma Coleman Jordan, professor, Georgetown University Law Center; Janet Murguia, president, National Council of LaRaza; Johnnie Scott Rice, chair and founder, National Congress of Black Women, Metropolitan Chapter; Daniel Solomon, president, Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation and co-founder and trustee, DC Vote; Robert Spagnoletti, partner, Schertler & Onorato, former D.C. Attorney General, and former president, D.C. Bar; Thomas Williamson, partner, Covington & Burling; Beverly Perry, senior vice president, PEPCO; Carrie L. Thornhill, member, DC School-to-Careers/Youth Investment Council; and Judith Winston, former general counsel, U.S. Department of Education.

You may access the application here.