Judiciary Watch

Senate confirms Minnesota judge to 8th Circuit

The Senate yesterday confirmed Hon. David R. Stras to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit by a 56 to 42 vote.  Stras has been an Associate Justice on the Minnesota Court of Appeals since 2010 and is a former law clerk to US. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.  Stras, a 1999 graduate of the Univ. of Kansas School of Law, spent much of his career as an academic involved in providing public analysis and commentary on important legal issues involving the U.S. Supreme Court and other appellate courts.

Senate confirms two to federal courts

The Senate yesterday confirmed Michael L. Brown to the federal bench in the Northern District of Georgia by a 92 to 0 vote. Brown is a 1994 graduate of the Univ. of Georgia School of Law and former law clerk to Hon. J.L. Edmondson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11^th Circuit. He has been at King & Spaulding since 2005, where his practice focused on white collar criminal defense. The Senate also confirmed Hon. Walter D. Counts, II, by a 90 to 1 vote, to the district court for the Western District of Texas. Counts has been a U.S. Magistrate judge in Midland since 2009. Prior to taking the bench, he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and is a member of the Texas National Guard.

Memphis lawyer Tommy Parker confirmed to district court

The Senate yesterday confirmed Tommy Parker to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee by a 98 to 0 vote.  Parker is a 1989 graduate of Vanderbilt Univ. School of Law and a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Tennessee.  He was a shareholder with the Memphis firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz since 2004, where his practice included representing corporate and individual clients in civil and criminal litigation. 

Senate confirms Nashville lawyer Campbell to federal bench

The Senate yesterday confirmed William L. Campbell, Jr. to the District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee by a 97 to 0 vote.  Campbell is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the Univ. of Alabama School of Law.  He has had a general business and commercial litigation practice in Nashville since 2003 with the firms Riley Warnock & Jacobson, PLC and Frost Brown Todd, LLC.