Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.

Margaret R. Guzman

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Margaret R. Guzman

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Tenure

2023 - Present

Years in position

2

Predecessor
Prior offices
Massachusetts District Courts

Education

Bachelor's

Clark University, 1989

Law

Boston University School of Law, 1992


Margaret R. Guzman is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on July 13, 2022, and confirmed by the United States Senate on March 1, 2023, by a vote of 49-48.[1][2][3] Guzman 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 Massachusetts 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 her nomination, Guzman was a judge on the Massachusetts District Courts.[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (2023-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On July 13, 2022, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Guzman to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.[5] Guzman's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[6] The president renominated Guzman on the same day. She was confirmed by a 49-48 vote of the U.S. Senate on March 1, 2023.[2] Guzman received commission on March 3, 2023.[7] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Margaret R. Guzman
Court: United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Progress
Confirmed 231 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: July 13, 2022
ApprovedAABA Rating: Qualified/Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: September 21, 2022
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: December 1, 2022 (initial nomination) 
ApprovedAConfirmed: March 1, 2023
ApprovedAVote: 49-48


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Guzman on March 1, 2023, on a vote of 49-48.[2] To break a tie 48-48 vote, the vice president of the United States voted "yea," resulting in Guzman's confirmation. To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Guzman confirmation vote (March 1, 2023)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 45 0 3
Ends.png Republican 0 48 1
Grey.png Independent 3 0 0
Total 48 48 4

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Guzman's nomination on September 21, 2022. Guzman was reported to the full Senate on December 1, 2022, after a 12-10 committee vote.[8]

Guzman's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[9] The president renominated Guzman on the same day.[2] In a committee hearing on February 2, 2023, Guzman was reported to the full Senate, after an 11-9 committee vote.[3]

Nomination

President Biden nominated Guzman to replace Judge Timothy Hillman, who assumed senior status on July 1, 2022.[5]

The American Bar Association rated Guzman qualified/well qualified by a substantial majority and not qualified by a minority.[10] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Guzman's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[11] The president renominated Guzman on the same day.[2]

Ayer District Court, Massachusetts (2017-2023)

Guzman began serving as a judge on the Ayer District Court in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in 2017.[1]

Biography

Education

Guzman obtained a B.A. from Clark University in 1989 and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1992.[1]

Professional career

About the court

District of Massachusetts
First Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 13
Judges: 11
Vacancies: 2
Judges
Chief: Denise Casper
Active judges: Allison Dale Burroughs, Denise Casper, Margaret R. Guzman, Myong Joun, Angel Kelley, Julia Kobick, Mark G. Mastroianni, Brian Murphy, Leo Sorokin, Richard Stearns, Indira Talwani

Senior judges:
Nathaniel Gorton, Timothy Hillman, George O'Toole, Michael Ponsor, Patti Saris, Dennis Saylor, Mark Wolf, Douglas Woodlock, William G. Young, Rya Zobel


The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit based in downtown Boston at the John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse. There are two other courthouses in Worcester and Springfield, Massachusetts.[12]

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

The jurisdiction of the District of Massachusetts consists of all the counties in the state of Massachusetts. The court's headquarters are in Boston, with courthouses in Springfield and Worcester.

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

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The White House, "President Biden Names Twenty-Second Round of Judicial Nominees," July 13, 2022
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Congress.gov, "PN77 — Margaret R. Guzman — The Judiciary," accessed January 4, 2023
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 2, 2023," accessed February 3, 2023
  4. ↑ Massachusetts Court System, "District Court Justices," accessed July 7, 2014
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Congress.gov, "PN2369 — Margaret R. Guzman — The Judiciary," accessed July 18, 2022
  6. ↑ 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.
  7. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Guzman, Margaret Rose," March 3, 2023
  8. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 1, 2022," December 1, 2022
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES 117th Congress," September 20, 2022
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, accessed May 20, 2021

Political offices
Preceded by
Timothy Hillman 		United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
2023-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		Massachusetts District Courts
2017-2023		 Succeeded by
-

Massachusetts courts

Federal courts:

First Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Massachusetts • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Massachusetts

State courts:

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court • Massachusetts Appeals Court • Massachusetts Superior Courts • Massachusetts District Courts • Massachusetts Housing Courts • Massachusetts Juvenile Courts • Massachusetts Land Courts • Massachusetts Probate and Family Courts • Boston Municipal Courts, Massachusetts

State resources:

Courts in Massachusetts • Massachusetts judicial elections • Judicial selection in Massachusetts


Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Margaret_R._Guzman&oldid=10255854"