Share this @internewscast.com

The U.S. Senate this week confirmed the first Latina judge to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, giving Democratic President Joe Biden his second appointee on a court whose conservative majority has often blocked his policies.

The Senate voted 80-12 to elevate U.S. Magistrate Irma Carrillo Ramirez to the New Orleans-based court, where she would become the fifth active Democratic appointee on a court dominated by the 12 judges nominated by Republican presidents.

The bipartisan vote reflected the support of Texas’ two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. They had recommended Biden nominate Ramirez, who has served as a federal magistrate judge in the Northern District of Texas since 2002.

Cornyn and Cruz had previously supported her when former President Barack Obama nominated Ramirez to a district court judgeship in 2016, but the Senate failed to confirm her when the Democrat’s time in the White House ended.

The “blue slip” custom in which senators must approve court nominees from their home states was abandoned for circuit judges during the Trump administration. But the support of home-state senators can still smooth the confirmation process for appellate nominees.

Overall, the Senate has now confirmed 160 of Biden’s judicial nominees. The vast majority of them have been women or people of color, in keeping with Biden’s campaign pledge to bring greater diversity to the federal bench.

Biden in December 2022 won confirmation of one other judge to the court, Dana Douglas, a former magistrate judge like Ramirez who became the first Black woman to sit on the 5th Circuit. Douglas is from Louisiana.

Ramirez fills a seat opened up when Gregg Costa, an Obama appointee, last year resigned from his position on the 5th Circuit at a relatively young age for a judge, 49, and joined the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Ramirez, the Texas-born daughter of Mexican immigrants, began her career as an associate at the law firm now known as Locke Lord from 1991 to 1995 before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

She was sworn in as a magistrate judge in 2002, and largely has presided over civil matters in that role. Biden nominated her to the 5th Circuit in April.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Mandatory evacuation issued following explosion at Louisiana plant

Louisiana plant explosion prompts mandatory evacuation order

A mandatory evacuation has been issued following an explosion at a plant…
View of Eisenhuttenstadt, Germany, with a church and river.

German City Entices New Residents with Free Apartments, Social Events, and Hiking Adventures Amidst Fierce Competition

A GERMAN city is offering free flats, pub socials and hiking trips…
Close-up of an ambulance's side, showing the word "AMBULANCE" and the Star of Life.

Bus Accident Injures 21 Children from Aliquippa High School Football Team

At least 21 schoolchildren suffered injuries in a horrific accident in Pittsburgh.…
Supertri Chicago Triathlon 2025: 2-day event kicks off at Foster Beach with kids' triathlon, Supersprint races

Supertri Chicago Triathlon 2025: Exciting 2-day Event Begins at Foster Beach with Kids’ Triathlon and Supersprint Races

CHICAGO (WLS) — The city’s youngest competitors dove into Lake Michigan on…
Hurricane Erin never hit land or caused major damage, but threatened turtle nests weren't so lucky

Hurricane Erin Spared Land While Endangering Turtle Nests

As Hurricane Erin battered North Carolina’s barrier islands with fierce winds and…
Soldiers and helicopters during a NATO military exercise.

Establishing a “No-fly Zone” and Deploying Ground Troops: U.S. and Europe’s Possible Strategies to Shield Ukraine from Vlad’s Campaign

AMERICA and its European allies are working on military plans to offer…
Luca Sanigaglia at a mountain summit.

Heroic Climber, 49, Tragically Dies in Attempt to Rescue Friend Stuck on 25,000ft Peak

A HERO climber has died after trying to help his friend trapped…
Columbia University student among 5 killed in New York tour bus crash after Niagara Falls visit

Columbia University Student Among 5 Victims in New York Bus Crash After Niagara Falls Trip

Among the five individuals who lost their lives on Friday in an…
Photo of a smiling teenage boy.

Courageous Mother Reflects on Loss of Son in Tragic Crash: “I Struggled with Funeral Decisions and Feelings of Undeserved Sympathy”

A BRAVE mum whose son died in a horrific car crash said…
US seeks to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he refused to plea offer in smuggling case

The US Moves to Deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda Following Rejection of Plea Deal in Smuggling Case

Immigration authorities are planning to send Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after…
Idaho police release investigation photos of Kohberger's car and crime scene where four students died

Idaho Police Unveil Investigation Images of Kohberger’s Vehicle and Scene of Student Deaths

Idaho State Police have released hundreds of photos from their investigation into…
Trump ran on a promise of revenge. He's making good on it

Trump Followed Through on His Promise of Retribution

Donald Trump campaigned with a vow to utilize governmental authority to exact…