Michelle Pettit
Michelle M. Pettit is an assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On November 21, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Pettit to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.[1] Pettit's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2021. Click here for more information on Pettit's federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of California is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the Southern District of California
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On November 21, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Pettit to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Michelle Pettit |
| Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of California |
| Progress |
| Returned 409 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: November 21, 2019
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| ABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified / Minority qualified
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| Questionnaire: |
 Hearing:
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| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported:
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| Confirmed:
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| Returned: January 3, 2021
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Nomination
On September 20, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Pettit to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.[2] The president officially nominated Pettit on November 21. Pettit's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2020.[1] The president renominated Pettit on February 13.[3] Pettit's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2021.[4]
Pettit was nominated to replace Judge Michael Anello, who assumed senior status October 31, 2018.[1]
The American Bar Association rated Pettit well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by the minority for the position.[5] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Education
Pettit earned her B.S., with distinction, from the United States Naval Academy. She obtained her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as managing editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review.[2]
Military service
Pettit served in the United States Navy. Since 2015, she has been a judge in the U.S. Navy Reserves.[2]
Professional career
Pettit became an assistant U.S. attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in 2007. Before that, she was senior trial counsel for the United States Navy on Active Duty stationed in San Diego.[2]
About the court
| Southern District of California |
|---|
| Ninth Circuit |
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| Judgeships |
| Posts: 13 |
| Judges: 11 |
| Vacancies: 2 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Dana Sabraw |
| Active judges: Cynthia A. Bashant, Cathy Bencivengo, Robert Huie, Linda Lopez, Ruth Bermudez Montenegro, Jinsook Ohta, Todd Robinson, Dana Sabraw, Janis Sammartino, Andrew G. Schopler, James Simmons Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Southern District of California is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of three courthouses in San Diego and one in El Centro. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit based in downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse.
The Southern District of California has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The geographic jurisdiction of the Southern District of California consists of the Imperial and San Diego counties in the southern part of California.
The federal nomination process
Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:
- The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
- The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
- As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
- After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
- If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
- If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
- The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
- If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
- If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.
See also
- United States District Court for the Southern District of California
- United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Southern District of California
- United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Congress.gov, "PN1302 — Michelle M. Pettit — The Judiciary," accessed November 22, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee," September 20, 2019
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Eleven Nominations Sent to the Senate," February 13, 2020
- ↑ Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days.
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary: Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 116th Congress," accessed September 2, 2020
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California
State courts:
California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts
State resources:
Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California
