01.08.14

Durbin Introduces Southern District Judicial Nominee at Senate Committee Hearing

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced Nancy Rosenstengel at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which he is a member, to consider her nomination to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois. Her nomination is expected to receive a vote in the committee within the next few weeks. If approved, her nomination will receive a vote by the full Senate. Durbin also met with Ms. Rosentengal following today’s confirmation hearing. A photo of that meeting is available here.

“In Illinois we have a bipartisan process for recommending judicial candidates to the White House, and it has worked well to produce outstanding nominees for the federal bench,” said Durbin. “Nancy Rosenstengel is an excellent candidate for a federal judgeship in Illinois. In addition, her nomination is a historic one. No woman has ever served as an Article III federal judge in the Southern District of Illinois. Upon confirmation, Ms. Rosenstengel will be the first. She will do an outstanding job serving the people of the Southern District. I look forward to working with my colleagues and Senator Kirk to see Ms. Rosenstengel move through the confirmation process as swiftly as possible.”

 

In order to make recommendations for the judicial vacancy in the Southern District, Durbin established a screening committee in April 2013 comprised of 6 distinguished Illinoisans drawn from various aspects of the legal profession. The committee was co-chaired by Lois Wood, Executive Director of the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, and the Honorable George W. Timberlake (ret.), former chief judge of the Illinois Second Judicial Circuit.

 

The screening committees reviewed applications, interviewed applicants and references, and recommended the names of several individuals to Durbin.  Durbin reviewed the screening committees’ recommendations, conducted interviews of the finalists, and, in consultation with Senator Kirk, submitted his recommendations to the President, who makes the final decisions on nominees.