Kelly H. Rankin

District of Wyoming
	Tenth Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 3
	Judges: 3
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: Scott W. Skavdahl
	Active judges: Alan Johnson, Kelly H. Rankin, Scott W. Skavdahl;

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Kelly H. Rankin
	Court: United States District Court for the District of Wyoming
Progress
	Confirmed 57 days after nomination.
	Nominated: January 10, 2024
	ABA Rating: Well Qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: January 24, 2024
	Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: February 29, 2024
	Confirmed: March 7, 2024
	Vote: Voice vote

Kelly H. Rankin is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming. On January 10, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Rankin to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 7, 2024 by voice vote.^[1]^[2]^[3] Rankin 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 Wyoming 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 joining the court, Rankin was a chief magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming. He was first appointed to the court on June 7, 2012.^[4]^[5]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the District of Wyoming (2024-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On January 10, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Rankin to the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming.^[3] Rankin received commission on March 12, 2024.^[6] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Rankin on March 7, 2024, by voice vote.^[1]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Rankin's nomination on January 24, 2024. Rankin was reported to the full Senate on February 29, 2024, after a 20-1 committee vote.^[7] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a committee vote.

Nomination

On December 19, 2023, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Rankin to the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming. The president officially nominated Rankin on January 10, 2024. Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Joe Biden.

Rankin was nominated to replace Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal, who assumed senior status on June 1, 2022.^[8]

The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Rankin well qualified.^[9] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Biography

Education

Rankin earned his B.A. from the University of Wyoming in 1990 and his J.D. from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1994.^[2]

Professional career

2024-present: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Wyoming
2012-2024: Federal magistrate judge, United States District Court for the District of Wyoming
2010-2012: Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming
2010: counsel, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal
2008-2010: United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming
2003-2008: Assistant U.S. Attorney
1999-2003: Park County Attorney
1995-1998: Deputy County Attorney in the Park County Attorney’s Office
1994-1995: Deputy County Attorney in the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office^[2]

About the court

The United States District Court for the District of Wyoming is the United States district court with jurisdiction in the State of Wyoming. It is one of ninety-four federal district courts. The district operates out of courthouses in Mammoth, Casper, and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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, Colorado at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.

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

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

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 Nancy D. Freudenthal	United States District Court for the District of Wyoming 2024-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	United States District Court for the District of Wyoming 2016-2024	Succeeded by -

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