Hala Jarbou

Western District of Michigan
	Sixth Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 4
	Judges: 4
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: Hala Jarbou
	Active judges: Jane M. Beckering, Hala Yalda Jarbou, Robert Jonker, Paul Maloney; Senior judges:; Robert Holmes Bell, Janet Neff, Gordon Quist

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Hala Jarbou
	Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Progress
	Confirmed 176 days after nomination.
	Nominated: March 18, 2020
	ABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified / Minority qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: June 24, 2020
	QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: July 30, 2020
	Confirmed: September 10, 2020
	Vote: 83-15

Hala Jarbou is the chief judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. She was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) on March 18, 2020, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 10, 2020, by an 83-15 vote. In 2022, Jarbou became chief judge of the court. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan 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.

Jarbou was a judge on the 6th Circuit Court in Michigan from 2015 to 2020. She was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder (R) to fill the vacancy created by Colleen O'Brien's elevation to the Second District Court of Appeals.^[1]

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan (2020-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On March 18, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Jarbou to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. The U.S. Senate confirmed Jarbou on September 10, 2020, by an 83-15 vote.^[2] She received commission on September 23, 2020.^[3] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Jarbou was the first Chaldean American to serve on the federal judiciary. According to The Detroit News, the Chaldean community is made up of Iraqi Catholics.^[4]

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Jarbou on September 10, 2020, by a vote of 83-15.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Jarbou confirmation vote (September 10, 2020)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	29	14	2
Republican	53	0	0
Independent	1	1	0
Total	83	15	2

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Jarbou was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.^[5]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[6]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.^[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Jarbou had her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 24, 2020.^[8] The committee reported Jarbou's nomination to the full U.S. Senate on July 30, 2020, after an 18-4 vote.^[9]

Nomination

On March 11, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Jarbou to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.^[10] The president officially nominated Jarbou on March 18.^[2]

Jarbou was nominated to replace Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who assumed senior status on January 31, 2017.^[2]

The American Bar Association rated Jarbou well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority for the position.^[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

6th Circuit Court, Michigan (2015-2020)

See also: Judges appointed by Rick Snyder

Jarbou became a judge on the 6th Circuit Court in Michigan in 2015. She was appointed by Governor Rick Snyder (R) on October 20 to fill the vacancy created by Colleen O'Brien's elevation to the Second District Court of Appeals.^[1] She was elected to the court in 2016.

2016 election

See also: Michigan local trial court judicial elections, 2016

Michigan held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election occurred on August 2, 2016. The candidate filing deadline for incumbents was March 21, and the deadline for non-incumbents was April 19.^[12] Incumbent Rae Lee Chabot, incumbent Hala Jarbou, incumbent Cheryl Matthews, and incumbent Daniel Patrick O'Brien were unopposed in the 6th Circuit general election (4 open seats).^[13]

6th Circuit, 4 open seats, General Election, 2016
Candidate
Rae Lee Chabot Incumbent
Hala Jarbou Incumbent
Cheryl Matthews Incumbent
Daniel Patrick O'Brien Incumbent
Source: Michigan Department of State, "2016 General Election Official Results," November 28, 2016

Early life and education

Jarbou was born in Telkif, Iraq. She received a bachelor's degree in business administration (B.B.A.), with high distinction, from the University of Michigan in 1994 and a J.D. from Wayne State University Law School in 1997.^[14]

Professional career

2020-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
2022-present: Chief judge
2015-2020: Judge, 6th Circuit Court, Michigan
2016-2018: Presiding judge (for male participants), Oakland County Circuit Court, Adult Treatment Court
2012-2015: Instructor, The National Advocacy Center
2010-2015: Assistant U.S. attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Michigan
2001-2008: Instructor, Oakland Police Academy
1997-2010: Assistant prosecuting attorney, Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office^[15]

Judicial career

Jarbou became chief judge of the court in 2022.

Awards and associations

Awards

2018: Chaldean American Bar Association's Pillar of Justice Award^[15]
2015: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan Service Award^[14]

Associations

American Bar Association
Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce
Chaldean American Ladies of Charity
Federal Bar Association - Detroit chapter
The Federalist Society
Michigan Judges Association
Oakland County Bar Association
State Bar of Michigan
Women Lawyer's Association of Michigan^[14]^[15]

Former memberships

Oakland County Bar Association Inns of Court
Chaldean American Bar Association
The Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Junior Council
The University of Michigan School of Management Board of Governors^[15]

About the court

The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan is one of 94 United States district courts. It was established by an act of Congress on December 24, 1863. 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 Michigan has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The District Court is based in Grand Rapids, courthouses also located in Kalamazoo, Lansing and Marquette in the Upper Peninsula.

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.

External links

Suggest a link

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan 2020-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Michigan 6th Circuit Court 2015-2020	Succeeded by Yasmine Isshak Poles