J. Michelle Childs

District of Columbia Circuit
	Court of Appeals
Judgeships
	Posts: 11
	Judges: 11
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: Sri Srinivasan
	Active judges: ; Julianna Michelle Childs, Bradley Garcia, Karen Henderson, Greg Katsas, Patricia Ann Millett, Florence Pan, Cornelia T. L. Pillard, Neomi Rao, Srikanth Srinivasan, Justin Walker, Robert Leon Wilkins; Senior judges:; James Buckley, Harry Edwards, Douglas Ginsburg, Arthur Randolph, Judith Rogers, David Sentelle, David Tatel

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: J. Michelle Childs
	Court: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Progress
	Confirmed 190 days after nomination.
	Nominated: January 10, 2022
	ABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: April 27, 2022
	QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: May 26, 2022
	Confirmed: July 19, 2022
	Vote: 64-34

J. Michelle Childs is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on January 10, 2022, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 19, 2022, by a vote of 64-34.^[1]^[2] Childs 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. Click here for more information on Childs' federal judicial nomination.

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is one of 13 U.S. courts of appeal. They are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the D.C. Circuit, click here.

Prior to her confirmation, Childs was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. She joined the court in 2010 after a nomination from President Barack Obama (D).

Judicial nominations and appointments

Possible nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court (2022)

On January 27, 2022, United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officially announced he would retire at the start of the court's summer recess, which typically took place in late June or early July.^[3]^[4] NBC News had previously reported the retirement on January 26.^[5] On February 15, Biden announced he would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson.^[6]

As of January 27, President Joe Biden (D) had not announced a list of nominees he was considering. During the retirement announcement, Biden said he would select a nominee by the end of February and that: "The person I will nominate will be someone of extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court."^[7]

On February 12, the Associated Press reported that Biden's shortlist included Childs, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Leondra Kruger.^[8] On February 22, CNN reported that Biden had interviewed the three candidates on the shortlist.^[9] On January 28, the White House confirmed in a statement that Childs was among the candidates under consideration for the nomination.^[10] She was also mentioned by two or more media outlets as a possible nominee to fill Breyer's seat on the court.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14] Click here to read more about the vacancy and nomination process.

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (2022-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On January 10, 2022, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Childs to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She was confirmed by a 64-34 vote of the U.S. Senate on July 19, 2022.^[2] Childs received commission on July 25, 2022.^[15] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Childs by a vote of 64-34 on July 19, 2022.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Childs confirmation vote (July 19, 2022)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	47	0	1
Republican	15	34	1
Independent	2	0	0
Total	64	34	2

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Childs' nomination on April 27, 2022. The committee voted to advance Childs' nomination to the full U.S. Senate on May 26, 2022.^[2]

Nomination

On December 23, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Childs to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.^[1] The president officially nominated Childs on January 10, 2022.^[2]

Childs was nominated to replace Judge David Tatel, who announced that he would assume senior status upon the confirmation of his successor.^[2]^[16]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Childs well qualified.^[17] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

United States District Court for the District of South Carolina (2010-2022)

Childs was nominated by President Barack Obama on December 22, 2009, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina vacated by George Anderson. The American Bar Association rated Anderson Unanimously Well Qualified for the nomination. Hearings on Childs' nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 16, 2010, and her nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on May 6, 2010. Childs was confirmed on a voice vote of the U.S. Senate on August 5, 2010, and she received her commission on August 20, 2010.^[18]^[19]^[20]

Biography

Early life and education

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Childs earned her bachelor's degree, cum laude, from the University of South Florida in 1988; her master's degree from the University of South Carolina School of Business in 1991, and her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1991.^[21]^[18]

Professional career

2022-present: Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
2010-2022: Judge, United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
2006-2010: Judge, South Carolina Fifth Judicial Circuit Court
2002-2006: Commissioner, South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission
2000-2002: Deputy director, South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation
1997-2002: President & owner, Paradise Travel, Inc.
1990-2000: Nexsen Pruet, LLC
- 2000: Partner
- 1992-1999: Associate^[21]

Awards and associations

Awards

2021: Honorary Doctor of Laws for Public Service, University of South Carolina
2020: Civility Award, Richland County Bar Association Matthew J. Perry, Jr.
2018:
- University of South Carolina Moore School of Business Alumni Award
- National Bar Association Wiley Branton Symposium Award
2015: Southern Region Black Law Students Association Outstanding Alumni Award
2013: John Belton ·o 'Neall Inn of Court Rhodes/McDonald Award
2012: Charleston School of Law John L.S. Simpkins Trailblazer Award
2008: I'm Every Woman Trailblazers Award
2005:
- Benjamin E. Mays Leadership Academy John M. McFadden Award
- University of South Carolina Moore School of Business Outstanding Young Alumni Award
2002:
- American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Affiliate Leader Award
- National Bar Association Junius W. Williams Young Lawyers Division Award
- Columbia Urban League SHEROES Award
2000:University of South Carolina Outstanding Young Alumni Award
1999: Richland County Bar Association Civic Star Award^[21]

Associations

American Bar Association
American Law Institute
Belmont Green Homeowner's Association
Bolch Judicial Institute, Duke University School of Law
Columbia Lawyers Association
Columbia Urban League
ETV Endowment of South Carolina, Inc.
Federal Judges Association
George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School Law & Economics Center
Heathwood Hall Episcopal School
Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports & Tourism
Richland County Bar Association
South Carolina Bar
South Carolina Bar Foundation
South Carolina Black Lawyers Association
South Carolina Workers' Compensation Educational Association
Southern Association of Workers' Compensation Administrators
South Carolina Industry Liaison Group
South Carolina Women Lawyers Association^[21]

About the court

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a federal appellate court with appellate jurisdiction. It hears appeals from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and its rulings may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.

This court should not be confused with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, which is equivalent to a state supreme court in the District of Columbia, or with the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction is limited by subject matter. Appeals are heard in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C.

Eight judges of the District of Columbia Circuit went on to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States: Fred M. Vinson, Wiley Rutledge, Warren Burger, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, and Brett Kavanaugh.

The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over cases heard by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. Appeals of rulings by the D.C. Circuit are petitioned to the Supreme Court of the United States. Chief Justice John Roberts is the circuit justice for the D.C. Circuit.

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

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by David Tatel	United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 2022-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by George Anderson	United States District Court for the District of South Carolina 2010-2022	Succeeded by Jacquelyn Austin