Brian Lea
Brian Lea is a nominee to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.[1]
On December 1, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Brian Lea to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.[1][2] Lea's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2026.[3] The president renominated Lea on January 5, 2026.[4] As of January 15, 2026, Lea was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full U.S. Senate. Click here for more information on Lea's federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee 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 Western District of Tennessee
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On December 1, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Lea to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Brian Lea |
| Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee |
| Progress |
| 69 days since nomination. |
 Nominated: December 1, 2025
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| ABA Rating: Well Qualified
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| Questionnaire: [N/A Questionnaire] |
| Hearing: December 17, 2025
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| Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript |
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: January 15, 2026
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 Confirmed:
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Confirmation vote
As of January 15, 2026, Lea was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full U.S. Senate. Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a full Senate vote.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Lea's nomination on December 17, 2025. Lea was reported to the full Senate on January 15, 2026, after a 12-10 committee vote.[5] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a committee vote.
Nomination
On December 1, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Brian Lea to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Lea well qualified.[6] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Lea was nominated to replace Judge John T. Fowlkes, who assumed senior status on September 1, 2022.[7]
About the court
| Western District of Tennessee |
|---|
| Sixth Circuit |
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| Judgeships |
| Posts: 5 |
| Judges: 4 |
| Vacancies: 1 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Sheryl H. Lipman |
| Active judges: Stanley Anderson, Sheryl H. Lipman, Mark Norris, Thomas Lee Robinson Parker Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee is one of 94 United States district courts. The Western Division's main office is in Memphis, Tennessee. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit based in downtown Cincinnati at the Potter A. Stewart Federal Courthouse and Building. The Western District of Tennessee has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
There are two court divisions, each covering the following counties:
The Eastern Division, covering Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry and Weakley counties.
The Western Division, covering Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties.
Court locations for the Western District are located in Memphis, Jackson, and Dyersburg, Tennessee.
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
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 Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
- United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," December 1, 2025
- ↑ Congress.Gov, "PN673-3 — 119th Congress (2025-2026) — Brian Charles Lea — The Judiciary," accessed December 1, 2025
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Congress.Gov, "PN726-9 — 119th Congress (2025-2026) — Brian Charles Lea — The Judiciary," accessed January 5, 2026
- ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "RESULTS OF COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING," accessed January 15, 2026
- ↑ American Bar Association, "STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY," accessed February 5, 2025
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Judge John Thomas Fowlkes, Jr.," accessed May 26, 2017
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee
State courts:
Tennessee Supreme Court • Tennessee Court of Appeals • Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals • Tennessee Circuit Court • Tennessee Chancery Courts • Tennessee Criminal Court • Tennessee Probate Court • Tennessee General Sessions Court • Tennessee Juvenile Court • Tennessee Municipal Court
State resources:
Courts in Tennessee • Tennessee judicial elections • Judicial selection in Tennessee
