Durbin, Duckworth Send Recommendations for Federal District Court Judge in the Central District of Illinois to the White House
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today sent a list of names for the White House to consider for a forthcoming Peoria-based federal district court judicial vacancy in the Central District of Illinois. Based on recommendations made by the screening committee the Senators established in the Central District, Durbin and Duckworth have forwarded the names of the following individuals to President Biden for consideration: Mohammed G. Ahmed, Judge Christopher R. Doscotch, Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, and Judge Katherine G. Legge.
“We appreciate the opportunity to provide assistance and input in filling these vacancies, and we look forward to working with you to ensure a fair and swift confirmation process after you submit nominations to the Senate,” Durbin and Duckworth wrote in a letter to President Biden.
In February, Durbin and Duckworth established a screening committee to review applicants to be a Federal District Court Judge in the Central District of Illinois. Their screening committee is chaired by the Honorable Ronald Spears (ret.). The other members of the Central District Screening Committee are the Honorable Glenn Collier (ret.), Donald Jackson, Nicola Sharpe, and Emily Sullivan.
The committee has carefully evaluated candidates by reviewing their professional records and application questionnaires, contacting references, and conducting interviews, and has submitted their findings and recommendations to the Senators. Durbin and Duckworth have interviewed the finalists, reviewed their records, and consulted with each other regarding their qualifications.
Once the President submits a nomination to the U.S. Senate, it will be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Durbin is the Chair, and the nominee will ultimately receive a vote in the Committee. If the nomination is approved by the Judiciary Committee, the nominee will receive a vote by the full Senate.
Full text of today’s letter to the White House is available here.
Biographies of those recommended by Durbin and Duckworth are below:
Mohammed Ahmed: Ahmed has served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Missouri since 2018. Prior to that, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Joe B. McDade on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois (2013-2018). In 2013, Ahmed was a Trial Attorney at Henderson Adam LLC. Prior to that, he served as a Federal Civil Rights Litigation Attorney for the City of Chicago, Department of Law (2013). Before that, he was a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Mohammed G. Ahmed, Esq., P.C., (2012-2013). From 2008 to 2012, Ahmed was an Associate at Winston & Strawn LLP. Prior to that, he clerked for the Hon. David H. Coar on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2006-2008). From 2005 to 2006, he was an Associate at Mayer Brown LLP. Ahmed received his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago (2001) and his J.D., magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law (2005).
Judge Christopher Doscotch: Doscotch currently serves as the Presiding Judge in Tazewell County. Before that, he served as a Circuit Judge in Peoria County (2019-2021). From 2009 to 2019, he was a solo practitioner at the Law Office of Chris Doscotch. From 1994 to 2008, Doscotch was an Attorney at Janssen Law Center. He received his B.A. from Knox College (1991) and his J.D. from Southern Illinois University School of Law (1994). Doscotch served as a Specialist in the Illinois National Guard from 1990 to 1998, and as a Private in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1991.
Judge Jonathan Hawley: Hawley has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois since 2014. Prior to that, he held multiple roles in the Federal Public Defender’s Office forthe Central District of Illinois: Chief Federal Public Defender (2011-2014); Acting Federal Public Defender (2010-2011); First Assistant Federal Public Defender (2003-2011); Appellate Division Chief (2000-2011); Assistant Federal Public Defender (2000-2003); and Research and Writing Specialist (1999-2000). In 2013, Hawley served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois College of Law. Following law school, he clerked for the Hon. James D. Heiple on the Illinois Supreme Court (1998-1999) and the Hon. Michael P. McCuskey on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois (1998) and on the Illinois Third District Appellate Court (1997-1998). Hawley received his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1992) and his J.D., cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law (1997).
Judge Katherine Legge: Legge has served as an Associate Judge on the Tenth Judicial Circuit of Illinois since 2023. Prior to that, she was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois (2016-2023). Before that, Legge served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office (2016) and the Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office (2011-2016). Legge received her B.S. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (2007) with highest honors and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois College of Law (2011).
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