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Charlotte Sweeney

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Charlotte Sweeney
Image of Charlotte Sweeney

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Tenure

2022 - Present

Years in position

3

Predecessor

Education

Bachelor's

California Lutheran University, 1991

Law

University of Denver College of Law, 1995


Charlotte Sweeney is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on August 5, 2021, and confirmed by the United States Senate on May 25, 2022, by a vote of 48-46.[1][2][3][4] Sweeney was one of 235 Article III judges nominated by President Joe Biden (D) and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States District Court for the District of Colorado 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.

Prior to her appointment, she was a partner at Sweeney & Bechtold, LLC.[1]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the District of Colorado (2022-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On August 5, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Sweeney to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.[1][2] She received commission on July 18, 2022.[5] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Charlotte Sweeney
Court: United States District Court for the District of Colorado
Progress
Confirmed 293 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: August 5, 2021
ApprovedAABA Rating: Well Qualified by a substantial majority/Qualified by a minority
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: October 20, 2021
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: December 2, 2021[6] (first) / January 20, 2022[7] (second) 
ApprovedAConfirmed: May 25, 2022
ApprovedAVote: 48-46


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Sweeney by a vote of 48-46 on May 25, 2022.[3] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Sweeney confirmation vote (May 25, 2022)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 45 0 3
Ends.png Republican 1 46 3
Grey.png Independent 2 0 0
Total 48 46 6

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Sweeney's nomination on October 20, 2021. On December 2, 2021, the committee cast a tie vote to report Sweeney to the full United States Senate for a confirmation vote. As a result, Sweeney was not reported favorably to the full Senate. Before the Senate could vote to discharge Sweeney's nomination from committee, it was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2022.[8][3][9]

After Sweeney's renomination, the committee again cast a tie vote to report Sweeney to the full United States Senate for a confirmation vote on January 20, 2022. As a result, Sweeney was not reported favorably to the full Senate. On May 11, 2022, the Senate voted 51-49 to discharge Sweeney's nomination from the Judiciary Committee.[4][10]

Nomination

On August 5, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Sweeney to the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.[1] The president officially nominated Sweeney on the same day.[2]

Sweeney's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2022.[8] The president renominated Sweeney on the same day.[4]

Sweeney was nominated to replace Judge Richard Brooke Jackson, who assumed senior status on September 30, 2021.[2][11]

The American Bar Association rated Sweeney Well Qualified by a substantial majority and Qualified by a minority.[12] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Biography

Education

Sweeney earned a bachelor's degree from California Lutheran University in 1991. She earned a J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1995.[1]

Professional career

About the court

District of Colorado
Tenth Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 7
Judges: 7
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Philip Brimmer
Active judges: Philip Brimmer, S. Kato Crews, Daniel Domenico, Gordon Gallagher, Regina Rodriguez, Charlotte Sweeney, Nina Nin-Yuen Wang

Senior judges:
Christine Arguello, Lewis Babcock, Robert Blackburn, R. Brooke Jackson, John Kane, Marcia Krieger, William J. Martinez, Raymond P. Moore


The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is one of 94 United States district courts. The court is based out of Denver at the Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse. It also has a second courthouse in Denver and courts in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Durango. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in downtown Denver at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.

The Counties of Colorado (click for larger map)

The District of Colorado has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The jurisdiction of the District of Colorado consists of all the counties in the state of Colorado.


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

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The White House, "President Biden Names Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees," August 5, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," August 5, 2021
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Congress.gov, "PN999 — Charlotte N. Sweeney — The Judiciary," accessed August 6, 2021
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Congress.gov, "PN1509 — Charlotte N. Sweeney — The Judiciary," accessed January 5, 2022
  5. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Sweeney, Charlotte Noelle," accessed July 18, 2022
  6. ↑ Sweeney received a 11-11 tie committee vote and was not reported favorably to the full Senate. Click here for more details.
  7. ↑ Sweeney received a 11-11 tie committee vote and was not reported favorably to the full Senate. Click here for more details.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 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.
  9. ↑ Colorado Politics, " Senate committee deadlocks on Colorado judge nominee," December 2, 2021
  10. ↑ Reuters, "U.S. Senate confirms 9th Circuit nominee; panel deadlocks on 3 Biden judicial picks," January 20, 2022
  11. ↑ United States Courts, "Future Judicial Vacancies," accessed March 3, 2021
  12. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES," Last Updated: October 19, 2021

Political offices
Preceded by
R. Brooke Jackson 		United States District Court for the District of Colorado
2022-Present		 Succeeded by
-


Colorado courts

Federal courts:

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Colorado • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Colorado

State courts:

Colorado Supreme Court • Colorado Court of Appeals • Colorado District Courts • Colorado County Courts • Denver Probate Court • Denver Juvenile Court • Colorado Municipal Courts • Colorado Water Courts

State resources:

Courts in Colorado • Colorado judicial elections • Judicial selection in Colorado

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