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Frances Tydingco-Gatewood
Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood is the chief judge of the United States District Court of Guam. She was first appointed by George W. Bush in 2006 to a 10-year term. She was the first female Chamorro, people indigenous to the Mariana Islands and Guam, chief judge.[1]
On November 8, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood to the United States District Court of Guam.[2] No nomination was sent to the senate. Click here for more information on Tydingco-Gatewood's federal judicial nomination.
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court of Guam
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden
On November 8, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Tydingco-Gatewood to the United States District Court of Guam for a new 10-year term.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Tydingco-Gatewood was first appointed to the United States District Court of Guam by President George W. Bush in 2006, to fill the vacancy left by Judge John S. Unpingco. Tydingco-Gatewood was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 8, 2006. Her term expired in 2016, but she will continue to serve until a replacement is confirmed.[1]
On May 18, 2016, President Barack Obama renominated Judge Tydingco-Gatewood to another ten-year term on the court.[3] Regarding Judge Tydingco-Gatewood's renomination, President Obama said, "Chief Judge Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood has had a distinguished legal career and I am honored to ask her to continue to serve as a judge on the federal bench ... I am confident she will keep serving the American people with distinction from the District Court bench."[4] The American Bar Association rated Tydingco-Gatewood Unanimously Well Qualified for renomination.[5] Tydingco-Gatewood's nomination was returned to the president on January 3, 2017, at the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress.[6]
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| Name: Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood |
| Court: United States District Court of Guam |
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Nomination
On November 8, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood to the United States District Court of Guam.
Biography
Education
Tydingco-Gatewood earned her B.A. from Marquette University in 1980, and her J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1983.[1]
Professional career
- 2006-Present: Judge, United States District Court of Guam
- 2001-2006: Associate justice, Supreme Court of Guam
- 1994-2001: Trial judge, Superior Court of Guam
- 1990-1994: Chief prosecutor, Guam
- 1988-1990: Assistant prosecutor, Jackson County, Missouri
- 1984-1988: Assistant attorney general, Guam
- 1983-1984: Law clerk, Hon. Forest W. Hanna, Missouri 16th Judicial Circuit Court[7]
About the court
| District Court of Guam |
|---|
| Ninth Circuit |
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| Judgeships |
| Posts: 1 |
| Judges: 1 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Frances Tydingco-Gatewood |
| Active judges: Frances Tydingco-Gatewood |
The District Court of Guam is a federal court that has jurisdiction over the territory of Guam. It was established by the Organic Act of Guam in 1950. Appeals of the court's decisions are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
The court has the same jurisdiction as the United States district courts, including diversity jurisdiction and bankruptcy jurisdiction. Though the court is named "district court," it is not an Article III district court; instead, it is created in accordance with the power granted under Article IV of the United States Constitution.[8]
The judge of the District Court of Guam is an Article IV federal judge who is appointed to a 10-year term, which is renewable. Judges of this court are appointed by the president and are subject to Senate confirmation. Judges may serve more than one term, subject to the standard nominating process.[9] The District Court of Guam has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law as well as bankruptcy cases.
The jurisdiction of the District Court of Guam includes the island of Guam. The only courthouse is located in Hagatna, Guam. Decisions of the court are appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse in San Francisco, California.
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
- Search Google News for this topic
- Judge Tydingco-Gatewood's biography from the district court website
- U.S. District Court for the District of Guam website
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 United States District Court of Guam, "History," accessed December 5, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The White House, "President Biden Names Fifty-Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees," accessed November 8, 2024
- ↑ The White House, "Presidential nominations sent to the Senate," May 18, 2016
- ↑ The White House, "President Obama nominates Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood to serve on the United States District Court," May 18, 2016
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judges, 114th Congress," accessed June 21, 2016
- ↑ United States Congress, "PN 1462 — Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood — The Judiciary," accessed January 3, 2017
- ↑ United States District Court of Guam, "BIOGRAPHY OF THE HONORABLE FRANCES TYDINGCO-GATEWOOD," accessed December 5, 2013
- ↑ uscourts.gov, "Territorial Courts in the Federal Judiciary," accessed November 27, 2013
- ↑ United States District Court of Guam, "History of the District Court of Guam," accessed December 4, 2013
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| Active judges | |||
| Senior judges |
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| Former Article I judges | Paul D. Shriver • Eugene R. Gilmartin • Cristobal C. Duenas • John S. Unpingco • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Paul D. Shriver • Eugene R. Gilmartin • Cristobal C. Duenas • John S. Unpingco • | ||
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| Nominated | |||
