During President Bill Clinton's first and second terms of office, he nominated 24 people for 20 federal appellate judgeships but the nominees were not processed by the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

-controlled

Senate Judiciary Committee The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations ...

. Three of the nominees who were not processed (

Christine Arguello Christine Marie Arguello (born July 15, 1955) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado and is a ...

Andre M. Davis Andre Maurice Davis (born February 11, 1949) is the former city solicitor for Baltimore and a former United States federal judge, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He was formerly a United ...

and S. Elizabeth Gibson) were nominated after July 1, 2000, the traditional start date of the unofficial Thurmond Rule during a presidential election year. Democrats claim that Senate Republicans of the

106th Congress The 106th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C., from January 3, 1 ...

purposely tried to keep open particular judgeships as a political maneuver to allow a future Republican president to fill them. Of the 20 seats in question, four were eventually filled with different Clinton nominees, fourteen were later filled with Republican nominees by President George W. Bush and two continued to stay open during Bush's presidency. Senator

Harry Reid Harry Mason Reid Jr. (; December 2, 1939 – December 28, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017. He led the Senate Democratic Caucus from 2005 to 2017 and was the Sena ...

, the Democratic leader of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

during the

110th Congress The 110th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the Presidency of George W. Bush. It was composed of ...

, and Senator

Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy (; born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who is the senior United States senator from Vermont and serves as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate. A member of the Democratic Party, ...

, the Democratic leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee under Reid, repeatedly mentioned the controversy over President Clinton's court of appeals nominees during the controversy involving the confirmation of Republican court of appeals nominees during the last two years of Bush's second term. Republicans claimed that Democrats were refusing to confirm certain longstanding Bush nominees in order to allow a future Democratic president in 2009 to fill those judgeships. During his presidency, Clinton also nominated 45 people for 42 federal district judgeships who were never confirmed by the United States Senate and successfully nominated 66 people for appellate judgeships.

List of unsuccessful federal judicial nominations

Clinton made 72 nominations for federal judgeships that were not confirmed by the Senate. Of these, one, Ronnie L. White, was rejected by the Senate, 11 were withdrawn by President Clinton, 10 were withdrawn by President George W. Bush, while the other 50 expired at an adjournment of the Senate, including 32 that were pending at the close of the

. Eleven of his unsuccessful nominees were subsequently nominated to federal judgeships by other presidents, and all 11 were confirmed.

Failed appellate nominees

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (in case citations, 3d Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts for the following districts: * District of Delaware * District of New Jersey * East ...

**Robert Raymar (of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

), to

seat A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but also headquarters in a wider sense. Types of seat The following are examples of different kinds of seat: * Armchair, a chair ...

vacated by H. Lee Sarokin - Judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

Maryanne Trump Barry Maryanne Trump Barry (born April 5, 1937) is an American attorney and a retired United States federal judge. She became an Assistant United States Attorney in 1974, and was first appointed to the United States District Court for the District of ...

. **

Stephen Orlofsky Stephen Murray Orlofsky (born June 24, 1944) is an American lawyer, a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and a former nominee to be a United States circuit judge of the United Sta ...

(of

), to

vacated by Morton Ira Greenberg - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Michael Chertoff Michael Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is an American attorney who was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security to serve under President George W. Bush. Chertoff also served for one additional day under President Barack Obama. ...

. **

Robert J. Cindrich Robert James Cindrich (born September 22, 1943) is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and a former federal judicial nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for ...

(of

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

), to

vacated by Timothy K. Lewis - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee D. Brooks Smith. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maryland ...

(of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

), to

vacated by Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. - Davis was nominated on October 6, 2000, during the final months of the Clinton presidency. The Senate took no action on the nomination, which was returned to the President on December 15, 2000. After Clinton's unsuccessful nomination of Davis, President George W. Bush unsuccessfully nominated

Claude Allen Claude Alexander Allen Jr. (born October 11, 1960) is an American attorney who was appointed to be Assistant to the President of the United States for Domestic Policy by George W. Bush. Allen grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from the Univ ...

and

Rod J. Rosenstein Rod Jay Rosenstein (; born January 13, 1965) is an American attorney who served as the 37th United States deputy attorney general from April 2017 until May 2019. Prior to his appointment, he served as a United States attorney for the District ...

to succeed Judge Murnaghan. Davis was renominated to the same seat by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

in April 2009 and confirmed that year in November. ** James A. Beaty, Jr. (of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

), to

vacated by James Dickson Phillips, Jr. - Judgeship was eventually filled by Obama nominee Albert Diaz of

. ** James Andrew Wynn (of

), to

vacated by James Dickson Phillips, Jr. - Judgeship never filled by any Bush nominee; Wynn was renominated by President

to the same seat in November 2009 and was confirmed by the Senate in August 2010. ** S. Elizabeth Gibson (of

), to

vacated by

Samuel James Ervin III Samuel James Ervin III (March 2, 1926 – September 18, 1999) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the son of United States Senator Sam Ervin. Education and career Ervin was born in ...

- Gibson was nominated on October 26, 2000, during the final months of the Clinton presidency. The Senate took no action on the nomination, which was returned to the President on December 15, 2000. The judgeship was later filled by Bush nominee

Allyson Kay Duncan Allyson Kay Duncan (born September 5, 1951, in Durham, North Carolina, Durham, North Carolina) is a former United States federal judge, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She was the Fourth Ci ...

. ** J. Rich Leonard (of

), to newly created

- Judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

Roger Gregory Roger L. Gregory (born July 17, 1953) is an American lawyer who serves as the Chief United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Background Gregory was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew u ...

(of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

) after being renominated by Bush in 2001. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * Eastern District of Louisiana * ...

** Alston Johnson (of

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

), to

vacated by John Malcolm Duhé, Jr. - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Edith Brown Clement Edith "Joy" Brown Clement (born April 29, 1948) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Background Clement was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daug ...

. ** Jorge Rangel (of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

), to

vacated by

William Lockhart Garwood William Lockhart Garwood (October 29, 1931 – July 14, 2011) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Education and career Born in Houston, Texas, to Wilmer St. John Garwood (1896–1987) a ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Priscilla Owen Priscilla Richman (formerly Priscilla Richman Owen) (born October 4, 1954) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as the chief United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She was previously a justice ...

. ** Enrique Moreno (of

), to

vacated by

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * Eastern District of Kentucky * Western District of ...

Helene White Helene N. White (born December 2, 1954) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Previously, she was a judge on the Michigan Court of Appeals. Background Born in Jackson Heights, Q ...

(of

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...

), to

vacated by

Damon Keith Damon Jerome Keith (July 4, 1922 – April 28, 2019) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern Dis ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Richard A. Griffin; White was eventually confirmed to the Sixth Circuit when renominated by Bush in 2008. **

Kathleen McCree Lewis Kathleen McCree Lewis (September 27, 1947 – October 16, 2007) was an American lawyer and former federal judicial nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Early life and education Lewis was born in Boston. Lewis' ...

(of

), to

vacated by Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Susan Bieke Neilson Susan Bieke Neilson (August 27, 1956 – January 25, 2006) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and before that, a state trial judge in Michigan. Neilson was nominated by President Geor ...

. ** Kent Markus (of

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

), to

vacated by

David Aldrich Nelson David Aldrich Nelson (August 14, 1932 – October 1, 2010) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Early life Born at Watertown, New York to son of Carlton Low Nelson and Irene Demetria Al ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Jeffrey S. Sutton. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (in case citations, 8th Cir.) is a United States federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: * Eastern District of Arkansas * Western Dist ...

** Bonnie Campbell (of

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

), to

vacated by

George Gardner Fagg George Gardner Fagg (April 30, 1934 – July 14, 2015) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Education and career Born in Eldora, Iowa, Fagg received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Drak ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Michael J. Melloy Michael Joseph Melloy (born January 15, 1948) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Education and military service He was born in Dubuque, Iowa and graduated from Wahlert High Schoo ...

. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (in case citations, 9th Cir.) is the U.S. federal court of appeals that has appellate jurisdiction over the U.S. district courts in the following federal judicial districts: * District ...

** James Ware (of

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

), to

vacated by

J. Clifford Wallace John Clifford Wallace (born December 11, 1928) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and previously was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the South ...

- Judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

Kim McLane Wardlaw Kim McLane Wardlaw (born July 2, 1954) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit since 1998. She is the first Hispanic American woman to be appointed to a federal appeals c ...

. **

Barry Goode Barry P. Goode (born April 11, 1948) is a judge in Contra Costa County, California, and a former federal judicial nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Early life and education A New York native, Goode earned a bachelor's de ...

(of

), to

vacated by

Charles E. Wiggins Charles Edward Wiggins (December 3, 1927 – March 2, 2000) was a United States representative from California, and later a United States federal judge, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He wa ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Carlos Bea Carlos Tiburcio Bea (born April 18, 1934) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He was appointed to that court by President George W. Bush in 2003 to replace Judge Charles Edward Wig ...

. ** James E. Duffy, Jr. (of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

), to

vacated by

Cynthia Holcomb Hall Cynthia Holcomb Hall (February 19, 1929 – February 26, 2011) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central Di ...

(of

) - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Richard Clifton (of

). *

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (in case citations, 10th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Colorado * District of Kansas * Distr ...

** James Lyons (of

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

), to

vacated by

John Carbone Porfilio John Carbone Porfilio (born October 14, 1934) is an inactive Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Dis ...

- Lyons was nominated on September 22, 1999. Both Senators from Colorado,

Ben Nighthorse Campbell Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born April 13, 1933) is an American Cheyenne politician who represented Colorado's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993, and as a United States Senator from Colorado ...

and

Wayne Allard Alan Wayne Allard (born December 2, 1943) is an American veterinarian and politician who served as a United States Representative (1991–1997) and United States Senator (1997–2009) from Colorado, as well as previously a Colorado State Senator ...

, were members of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...

. Senator Campbell was supportive of the Lyons nomination, but Allard withheld his support and described Lyons as a "political operative" due to his representation of the Clintons during

Whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...

. Lyons' nomination was withdrawn on June 6, 2000. Clinton subsequently nominated

, also unsuccessfully. The judgeship was later filled by Bush nominee Timothy M. Tymkovich. **

(of

), to

vacated by

- Arguello was nominated on July 27, 2000, shortly after Clinton withdrew his earlier nomination of James Lyons. The Senate took no action on the nomination, which was returned to the President on December 15, 2000. The judgeship was later filled by Bush nominee Timothy M. Tymkovich. Arguello was eventually confirmed to a district court seat when nominated by Bush in 2008. *

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (in case citations, 11th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following U.S. district courts: * Middle District of Alabama * Northern District of Alabama * ...

** Charles "Bud" Stack (of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

), to

vacated by Peter T. Fay - Judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

Stanley Marcus Harold Stanley Marcus"Personal" (column), ''The Dallas Morning News'', November 9, 1905, page 5. (April 20, 1905 – January 22, 2002) was president (1950–1972) and later chairman of the board (1972–1976) of the luxury retailer Neiman ...

. *

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate co ...

Elena Kagan Elena Kagan ( ; born April 28, 1960) is an American lawyer who serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was Elena Kagan Supreme Court nomination ...

(of the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle (Washington, D.C.), Logan Circle, Jefferson Memoria ...

), to

vacated by James L. Buckley - Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

John G. Roberts, Jr. John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served as the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, chief justice of the United States since 2005. Roberts has authored the majority opinion in sever ...

** Allen Snyder (of

), to

vacated by

Patricia Wald Patricia Ann McGowan Wald (September 16, 1928 – January 12, 2019) was an American judge who served as the Chief United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) and as a judg ...

- Judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Thomas B. Griffith Thomas Beall Griffith (born July 5, 1954) is an American lawyer and jurist who was a U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2005 to 2020. Griffith was Senate Legal Counsel, the chief legal o ...

Others who were nominated or considered for nomination to federal appellate courts

While not a controversy, one other Clinton appellate court nominee,

Barbara Durham Barbara M. Durham (October 6, 1942 – December 30, 2002) was the first-ever female chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court. She also was a former federal judicial nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Earl ...

, withdrew before being confirmed, but not because of Republican opposition. Rather, Durham, a conservative jurist whom Clinton nominated to the

as part of a deal with then-Washington Sen.

Slade Gorton Thomas Slade Gorton III (January 8, 1928 – August 19, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Senator from Washington from 1981 to 1987 and again from 1989 until 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he hel ...

, withdrew because of illness. Clinton instead nominated Republican lawyer Richard Tallman of Seattle to the seat to which he had nominated Durham, and Tallman was confirmed in 2000. While he was never formally nominated to the

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate co ...

Peter Edelman Peter Benjamin Edelman (born January 9, 1938) is an American lawyer, policy-maker, and law professor at Georgetown University Law Center, specializing in the fields of poverty, welfare, juvenile justice, and constitutional law. He worked as an ai ...

was strongly considered by Clinton for a seat on that appeals court in late 1994. After the influential Republican member of the

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations, a ...

Sen. Orrin Hatch informed Clinton that he had intended to oppose Edelman's nomination, Clinton dropped plans to nominate Edelman to the D.C. Circuit, choosing

Merrick Garland Merrick Brian Garland (born November 13, 1952) is an American lawyer and jurist serving since March 2021 as the 86th United States attorney general. He previously served as a U.S. circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of ...

instead. In its November 1997 issue, the American Spectator reported that President Clinton had intended to nominate Teresa Wynn Roseborough in 1997 to a vacant seat on the

after Judge

Phyllis A. Kravitch Phyllis Adele Kravitch (August 23, 1920 – June 15, 2017) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and later the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, Georgia. Ed ...

took

senior status Senior status is a form of semi- retirement for United States federal judges. To qualify, a judge in the federal court system must be at least 65 years old, and the sum of the judge's age and years of service as a federal judge must be at leas ...

. The American Spectator noted, however, that Sen. Orrin Hatch, the then-chairman of the

, had "balked" at the idea of Roseborough, who was one of four finalists (the others were

Leah Ward Sears Leah Ward Sears (born June 13, 1955) is an American jurist and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Sears was the first African-American female chief justice of a state supreme court in the United States. When she was first ap ...

, Clarence Cooper and Frank M. Hull) and had "suggested that a more moderate Clinton-appointed U.S. district judge, Frank Hull, would have clear sailing." Indeed, Frank M. Hull was confirmed by the Senate in a 96-0 vote in September 1997.

Failed district court nominees

During his presidency, Clinton nominated 45 people for 42 different federal district judgeships to federal district courts who were never confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Like the appellate court nominations mentioned above, many of these nominees were blocked by Republicans either in the

, which was controlled by Republicans for six of the eight years of Clinton’s presidency, or on the Senate floor, where one nominee, Ronnie L. White, was defeated by senators. Of the 42 federal district judgeship vacancies in question, 17 eventually were filled with different Clinton nominees, 24 were filled by nominees of President George W. Bush and one never ended up becoming vacant because the district judge holding it never received confirmation to be elevated to an appellate court. Of Clinton's 45 failed district court nominees, four, Legrome D. Davis, David S. Cercone,

Dolly M. Gee Dolly Maizie Gee (born July 1, 1959) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Early life and education Gee was born in Hawthorne, California, the daughter of Cantonese immi ...

and Sue E. Myerscough, subsequently were nominated by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama to federal district judgeships and then confirmed by the Senate. The failed Clinton district court nominees: *

United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico The United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (in case citations, D.P.R.; es, Tribunal del Distrito de Puerto Rico) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The court is ...

Anabelle Rodriguez Anabelle is a feminine given name. Notable people with the name include: * Anabelle Langlois (born 1981), Canadian pairs figure skater * Anabelle Prawerman (born 1963), French beach volleyball player * Anabelle Rodriguez, Puerto Rican lawyer See ...

(judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Jay A. Garcia-Gregory) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York The United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (in case citations, N.D.N.Y.) serves one of the 94 judicial districts in the United States and one of four in the state of New York. Appeals from the Northern District of Ne ...

** Clarence J. Sundram (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee David N. Hurd) *

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, E.D. Pa.) is one of the original 13 federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789. It originally sat in Independence Hall in Phil ...

Frederica Massiah-Jackson Frederica Massiah-Jackson (born 1951) is a Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas judge. She served as President Judge from November 2000 to January 2006. Life and career Massiah-Jackson graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls i ...

, followed by Robert A. Freedberg (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Petrese B. Tucker) ** Legrome D. Davis (judgeship later filled by Davis himself, when he was renominated by George W. Bush in 2002 and then confirmed by the Senate) ** S. David Fineman (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Cynthia M. Rufe) ** Stephen B. Lieberman (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Timothy J. Savage) * United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania ** Patrick J. Toole (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

A. Richard Caputo Albert Richard Caputo (May 22, 1938 – March 11, 2020) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Education and career Born in Port Chester, New York, Caputo received an A ...

) *

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, W.D. Pa.) is a federal trial court that sits in Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is composed of ten judges as authorized by federal ...

** John H. Bingler, Jr., followed by Lynette Norton (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Arthur J. Schwab Arthur James Schwab (born December 7, 1946) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Early life, education, and career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Schwab receive ...

) ** David S. Cercone (judgeship was to become vacant when Judge

was elevated to the

but Cindrich never was confirmed to that post before Clinton's presidency ended; Cercone later was nominated to a different seat in the Western District by Bush and then confirmed by the Senate) **

Harry Litman Harry P. Litman (born c. 1958) is an American lawyer, law professor and political commentator. He is a former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General. He has provided commentary in print and broadcast news and produces the Talking Fed ...

(judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Joy Flowers Conti Joy Flowers Conti (born December 7, 1948) is a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Early life and education Born in Kane, Pe ...

) * United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina ** J. Rich Leonard (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee James C. Dever III) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (in case citations, N.D. Tex.) is a United States district court. Its first judge, Andrew Phelps McCormick, was appointed to the court on April 10, 1879. The court convenes in ...

** Cheryl B. Wattley (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Sam A. Lindsay) ** Michael D. Schattman (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Barbara M. Lynn) *

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (in case citations, S.D. Tex.) is the federal district court with jurisdiction over the southeastern part of Texas. The court's headquarters is in Houston, Texas and has six ...

** Ricardo Morado (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Andrew S. Hanen) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

** Steven D. Bell (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee John R. Adams) *

United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois The United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (in case citations, C.D. Ill.) serves the residents of forty-six counties, which are divided into four divisions. The counties are: Adams, Brown, Bureau, Cass, Champaign, C ...

** Sue E. Myerscough (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Michael P. McCuskey) (Myerscough later renominated by President Obama to a different seat on the same court and confirmed in 2011) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (in case citations, N.D. Ill.) is the federal trial-level court with jurisdiction over the northern counties of Illinois. Appeals from the Northern District of Illinois a ...

** Jeffrey D. Colman (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Ronald A. Guzman) *

United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois The United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (in case citations, S.D. Ill.) is a United States district court, federal district court covering approximately the southern third of the state of Illinois. Appeals from the ...

** Wenona Y. Whitfield (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee David R. Herndon) *

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (in case citations, E.D. Mo.) is a trial level federal district court based in St. Louis, Missouri, with jurisdiction over fifty counties in the eastern half of Missouri. ...

** Ronnie L. White (Nomination rejected by the Senate) (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Henry Autrey; White later was nominated and confirmed to a different seat on the Eastern District by Obama) *

United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri The United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (in case citations, W.D. Mo.) is the federal judicial district encompassing 66 counties in the western half of the State of Missouri. The Court is based in the Charles Evans ...

** Leland M. Shurin (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Gary A. Fenner) *

United States District Court for the District of Nebraska The United States District Court for the District of Nebraska (in case citations, D. Neb.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Nebraska. Court offices are in Omaha and Lincoln. Appeals from the District of Nebraska ...

** Steven E. Achelpohl (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Laurie Smith Camp) *

United States District Court for the Central District of California The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) is a Federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, ...

** R. Samuel Paz (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee George H. King) **

(judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

John F. Walter John F. Walter (born November 3, 1944) is a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Education and career Born in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, New York ...

; Gee later was nominated and confirmed to a different seat on the Central District by Obama) ** Fredric D. Woocher (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Percy Anderson) *

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (in case citations, E.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appeal ...

** Marian M. Johnston (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Morrison C. England Jr.) *

United States District Court for the Southern District of California The United States District Court for the Southern District of California (in case citations, S.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appe ...

** Judith D. McConnell (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee

Barry Ted Moskowitz Barry Ted Moskowitz (born August 17, 1950) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Education and career Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Moskowitz received a Bachelor ...

) ** Lynne R. Lasry (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Thomas J. Whelan) *

United States District Court for the District of Hawaii The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (in case citations, D. Haw.) is the principal trial court of the United States Federal Court System in the state of Hawaii. The court's territorial jurisdiction encompasses the sta ...

** John S. W. Lim (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

John Michael Seabright John Michael Seabright (born January 30, 1959) is an American lawyer who serves as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii. Early life and education Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Seabright ...

) *

United States District Court for the District of Idaho United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

** John R. Tait (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Lynn Winmill) *

United States District Court for the District of Montana United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

** Richard W. Anderson (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Sam E. Haddon) *

United States District Court for the District of Nevada United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...

** Linda B. Riegle (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Larry R. Hicks) * United States District Court for the District of Colorado ** Patricia A. Coan (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Robert E. Blackburn Robert Edward Blackburn (born April 12, 1950) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Personal life and education Blackburn was born in Lakewood, Colorado. He received a Ba ...

) *

United States District Court for the District of Kansas The United States District Court for the District of Kansas (in case citations, D. Kan.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Kansas. The Court operates out of the Robert J. Dole United States Courthouse in Kansas C ...

** K. Gary Sebelius (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Julie A. Robinson) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma The United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma (in case citations, N.D. Okla.) is a federal court in the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are a ...

** Frank H. McCarthy (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Claire Eagan Claire Veronica Eagan (born October 9, 1950) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma and a former Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Effe ...

) *

United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (in case citations, W.D. Okla. or W.D. Ok.) is a federal court in the Tenth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, wh ...

** Valerie K. Couch (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Stephen P. Friot Stephen P. Friot (born August 14, 1947) is a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. Education and career Born in Troy, New York, ...

) ** Melvin C. Hall (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee Joe L. Heaton) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (in case citations, N.D. Ala.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are a ...

** John D. Snodgrass (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Charles Lynwood Smith Jr.) ** Kenneth O. Simon (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Karon O. Bowdre Karon Lynn Owen Bowdre (born April 25, 1955) is a Senior status, Senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Early life and education Born in Montgomer ...

) *

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (in case citations, S.D. Fla. or S.D. Fl.) is the federal United States district court with territorial jurisdiction over the southern part of the state of Florida.. Appeals ...

** Theodore Klein, followed by Bruce W. Greer (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Donald M. Middlebrooks) *

United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (in case citations, N.D. Ga.) is a United States district court which serves the residents of forty-six counties. These are divided up into four divisions. Appeals from cases ...

** Gail S. Tusan (judgeship later filled by Clinton nominee Beverly B. Martin) *

United States District Court for the District of Columbia The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a federal district court in the District of Columbia. It also occasionally handles (jointly with the United States District Court for the District ...

** James W. Klein (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

John D. Bates John Deacon Bates (born October 11, 1946) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in December 2001, and has adjudicated several cases ...

) ** Rhonda C. Fields (judgeship later filled by Bush nominee

Reggie Walton Reggie Barnett Walton (born February 8, 1949) is a Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. He is a former presiding judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Early life ...

)

Notes

References

*https://web.archive.org/web/20051114151130/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/05/06/clinton.judge/index.html *https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/01/us/2000-campaign-vice-president-gore-praises-values-virtues-hispanics.html {{U.S. Presidents and the Judiciary judicial appointments Clinton, Bill

List of unsuccessful federal judicial nominations

Failed appellate nominees

Others who were nominated or considered for nomination to federal appellate courts

Failed district court nominees

See also

Notes

References