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Edmund LaCour
Edmund G. LaCour, Jr. is the solicitor general for the state of Alabama.
On August 12, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate LaCour to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated LaCour to the court. As of September 3, 2025, LaCour was awaiting a committee vote to advance his nomination to the full U.S. Senate.[1] Click here for more information on LaCour's federal judicial nomination.[2]
On June 2, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated LaCour to a seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. LaCour's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2021.[3] President Trump renominated LaCour on the same day. President Joe Biden (D) withdrew the nomination on February 4, 2021.[4] Click here for more information on LaCour's federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama 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 Northern District of Alabama
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On August 12, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate LaCour to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Nominee Information |
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Name: Edmund LaCour |
Court: [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama]] |
Progress |
14 days since nomination. |
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Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
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Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript |
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
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Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on LaCour's nomination on September 3, 2025. As of September 3, 2025, LaCour was awaiting a committee vote to advance his nomination to the full U.S. Senate.[1] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a committee vote.
Nomination
On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated LaCour to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
LaCour was nominated to replace Judge Scott Coogler, who retired from the court on January 2, 2025.[5]
United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On June 2, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated LaCour to a seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.[3] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Nomination
On May 20, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate LaCour to a seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.[6] The president officially nominated LaCour on June 2.[3] LaCour's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2021.[7] President Trump renominated LaCour on the same day.[8] President Joe Biden (D) withdrew the nomination on February 4, 2021.[4]
LaCour was nominated to replace Judge Andrew Brasher, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Brasher was confirmed to the 11th Circuit on February 11, 2020.
LaCour received support from Alabama Senator Richard Shelby (R), who tweeted, "He is a highly-qualified candidate for this esteemed role, and I believe he will be a great addition to our nation’s judicial system."[9]
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) also said of LaCour, "His academic record and the impressive breadth and depth of his legal experience, from trial courts to the United States Supreme Court, assure he will be an outstanding jurist for Alabama’s Middle District Court."[10]
The American Bar Association rated LaCour qualified by a majority and well qualified by the minority for the position.[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Biography
Education
LaCour earned his B.A., summa cum laude, from Birmingham-Southern College, his M. Phil. from Trinity College Dublin, and his J.D. from Yale Law School.[6]
Professional career
LaCour became the solicitor general for the state of Alabama in 2019. He joined the Alabama Attorney General’s Office in 2018. Before that, he was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, in Washington, D.C. He also previously practiced at Bancroft PLLC, and Baker Botts, LLP. After graduating from law school, LaCour was a law clerk to Judge William H. Pryor, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.[6]
About the court
Northern District of Alabama |
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Eleventh Circuit |
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Judgeships |
Posts: 8 |
Judges: 6 |
Vacancies: 2 |
Judges |
Chief: David Proctor |
Active judges: Annemarie C. Axon, Liles Burke, Madeline Haikala, Anna Manasco, Corey Maze, David Proctor Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses in Anniston, Birmingham, Decatur, Florence, Gadsden, Huntsville, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit based in downtown Atlanta at the Elbert P. Tuttle Federal Courthouse.
The Northern District of Alabama has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
There are three court divisions, each covering the following counties:
The Eastern Division, covering Chambers, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Russell, and Tallapoosa counties.
The Northern Division, covering Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chilton, Coosa, Covington, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, and Pike counties.
The Southern Division, covering Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, and Houston counties.
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 District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
- United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congress.gov, "PN466-2 — Edmund G. LaCour Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed September 9, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Truth Social, "Donald Trump," August 12, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Congress.gov, "PN1942 — Edmund G. LaCour Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed June 3, 2020
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Congress.gov, "PN29 — Edmund G. LaCour Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed February 8, 2021
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Judge L. Scott Coogler," accessed June 19, 2017
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominee," May 20, 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.
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Thirty Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 3, 2021
- ↑ Twitter, "Richard Shelby on May 20, 2020," accessed May 21, 2020
- ↑ Yellowhammer, "Trump to nominate Alabama solicitor general to federal judgeship," May 20, 2020
- ↑ 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:
Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Alabama, Middle District of Alabama, Southern District of Alabama
State courts:
Alabama Supreme Court • Alabama Court of Civil Appeals • Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals • Alabama Circuit Courts • Alabama District Courts • Alabama Juvenile Courts • Alabama Municipal Courts • Alabama Probate Courts • Alabama Small Claims Courts
State resources:
Courts in Alabama • Alabama judicial elections • Judicial selection in Alabama