Danna Jackson
Danna Jackson is Tribal Attorney for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Pablo, Montana.[1]
On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Danna Jackson to the United States District Court for the District of Montana.[1] On April 30, 2024, President Biden nominated Jackson to the court. Jackson's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2025.[2][3] Click here for more information on Jackson's federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the District of Montana 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 District of Montana
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden
On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Jackson to the United States District Court for the District of Montana.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Danna Jackson |
| Court: United States District Court for the District of Montana |
| Progress |
| Returned 248 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: April 30, 2024
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| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
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| Returned: January 3, 2025
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Opposition from home-state senators
- See also: Blue slip (federal judicial nominations)
On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Jackson to the United States District Court for the District of Montana.
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) announced in May 2024 that he would withhold her blue slip. In a statement, Daines’ spokesperson Rachel Dumke said the White House “never sought his advice or consent before choosing their nominee” and "Senator Daines believes confirming federal judges with lifetime tenure is among the most important decisions he will make and that these individuals must be trusted to not legislate from the bench and protect the Montana way of life."[4]
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said the Senator's team had interviewed Jackson, but that Daines had not met with her himself. "This claimed lack of consultation seems to be little more than pretext, and it’s shameful that Senator Daines is depriving Montana of the talents of a principled, fair, and impartial jurist like Danna Jackson, who would make history as Montana’s first Native American federal judge," Bates said.[5]
Nomination
On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Danna Jackson to the United States District Court for the District of Montana. The president officially nominated her on April 30, 2024. The nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2025.[6][3] Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Joe Biden.
About the court
| District of Montana |
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| Ninth Circuit |
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| Judgeships |
| Posts: 3 |
| Judges: 3 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Brian Morris |
| Active judges: Dana Christensen, Brian Morris, Susan Pamela Watters Senior judges: |
The District of Montana has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The court is located in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula.
To read opinions published by this court, click Justia.com-Montana 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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Federal Judicial Center, "President Biden Names Forty-Eighth Round of Judicial Nominees," accessed April 24, 2024
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Congress.gov, "PN1652 — Danna R. Jackson — The Judiciary," accessed May 1, 2024
- ↑ “Reuters, "Republican senator blocks Biden's Montana judge pick from consideration," May 23, 2024
- ↑ “Reuters, "Republican senator blocks Biden's Montana judge pick from consideration," May 23, 2024
- ↑ 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.
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Montana • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Montana
State courts:
Montana Supreme Court • Montana District Courts • Montana Courts of Limited Jurisdiction • Montana Water Court • Montana Workers' Compensation Court
State resources:
Courts in Montana • Montana judicial elections • Judicial selection in Montana
