Durbin Announces Bipartisan Screening Committee for Federal Judges in the Northern District

Press Release

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin today announced the formation of a bipartisan screening committee to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges for the Northern District of Illinois. There are currently three vacant judgeships in the Northern District, and the immediate task of the screening committee is to review applications and make recommendations to Durbin for filling current and future vacancies.

The screening committee will be comprised of 10 distinguished Illinoisans drawn from various aspects of the legal profession including former judges, prominent litigators, bar association leaders, and former prosecutors and defenders. Dick Devine, former Cook County State's Attorney and current partner at the law firm of Meckler Bulger Tilson Marick & Pearson LLP, will chair the committee. (A complete list and short bios of all panel members is included below.)

"Making recommendations to the White House on judicial nominees is one of the most important jobs I have as a U.S. Senator, and I am particularly pleased that these outstanding Illinoisans have agreed to advise me in selecting the best possible candidates to recommend to President Obama," said Durbin.

Durbin, who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, is the senior senator from Illinois. The senior senator from the President's political party has traditionally had the lead role in making recommendations to the President for the positions of Federal District Court Judge, U.S. Attorney, and U.S. Marshal in the senator's home state.

During the Clinton Presidency, Durbin worked closely with Senator Peter Fitzgerald to ensure that the most qualified people for federal judgeships were recommended to the President with bipartisan support in order to secure their confirmation. Before making recommendations to President Obama, Durbin will consult with Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) who is expected to establish a similar selection process in the Northern District.

"Without bipartisan effort in the Senate, it is very difficult to secure the confirmation of even the best qualified judicial nominees," Durbin said. "Senator Kirk and I will be working together to submit the most qualified people for federal judgeships and secure their confirmation."

Applications for these positions are available on Senator Durbin's website (http://durbin.senate.gov/issues/crime.cfm). The application questionnaire is nearly identical to those used by the Senate Judiciary Committee and will help provide insight into potential nominees' backgrounds and qualifications. The deadline for submission of completed applications is Monday, January 31.

The screening committee will review the applications, interview applicants and references, and make recommendations to Senator Durbin as quickly as possible. The screening committee will recommend the names of several individuals to Senator Durbin for each vacancy.

Durbin will review the screening committee's recommendations, conduct interviews of finalists, and -- in consultation with Senator Kirk -- submit his recommendations to the President, who will make the final decisions on nominees.

Once the President submits a nomination to the U.S. Senate, the nominee will be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Senator Durbin is a member, and will ultimately receive a vote in the committee. If a nomination is approved by the Judiciary Committee, the nominee will receive a vote by the full Senate.

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