The U.S. Senate confirmed two new federal judges including Sarala Nagala, the first person of South Asian descent to serve for the state’s federal bench.
Prior to her nomination, Nagala was the deputy chief of the major crimes unit in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Connecticut, which she joined in 2012. She worked as an associate at Munger, Tolles, & Olson from 2009 to 2012. She was confirmed on a 52-46 vote Wed., Oct. 27.
According to SF Gate, the Senate also confirmed state Judge Omar Williams, a former public defender, to fill another federal judge vacancy, also on a 52-46 vote. In early October, Sarah Merriam, a U.S. magistrate judge and former federal public defender, was confirmed for a third federal judge vacancy in the state on a 54-46 vote.
President Joe Biden nominated Nagala, Williams and Merriam, based on recommendations by U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Connecticut Democrats.
In June, Blumenthal and Murphy said in statement that the three then-nominees “have a diverse set of experiences — both in life and in the law — but they all share a deep and abiding commitment to fair and equal justice.”
Reuters reports that the latest confirmations were in keeping with Biden’s goal of putting more women and minorities on the bench and promoting lawyers with civil rights and public defender backgrounds.
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