On December 1, 2020, the U.S. Senate confirmed two nominees to federal district court judgeships. Philip Calabrese was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by a vote of 58–35. Taylor McNeel was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi by a vote of 53–39. Both judges will join the respective courts upon receiving their judicial commissions and taking their judicial oaths.
Philip Calabrese was nominated to the Northern District of Ohio court by President Donald Trump (R) on March 3, 2020, to replace Judge Christopher Boyko, who assumed senior status on January 6, 2020. Calabrese had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 29, 2020. The committee voted 12–10 to advance Calabrese’s nomination to the full U.S. Senate on September 17, 2020.
The Northern District of Ohio has 11 judicial positions. After Calabrese receives commission, the court will have:
- No vacancies
- Six Democrat-appointed judges
- Five Republican-appointed judges
Calabrese will join two other Trump-appointed judges on the court. Four judges were appointed by President Bill Clinton (D), two were appointed by President Barack Obama (D), and two were appointed by President George W. Bush (R).
Taylor McNeel was nominated to the Southern District of Mississippi court by Trump on July 2, 2020, to replace Judge Louis Guirola, who assumed senior status on March 23, 2018. McNeel had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 9, 2020. The committee voted 12–0 to advance McNeel’s nomination to the full U.S. Senate on October 22, 2020. No Democratic committee members were present to advance his nomination.
The Southern District of Mississippi has six judicial positions. After McNeel receives commission, the court will have:
- No vacancies
- One Democrat-appointed judge
- Five Republican-appointed judges
McNeel will join one other Trump-appointed judge on the court. One judge was appointed by Obama, two were appointed by George W. Bush, and one was appointed by President Ronald Reagan (R).
Since taking office, Trump has nominated 275 individuals to federal judgeships, 229 of whom have been confirmed. As of December 1, 2020, there were 60 vacancies in the federal judiciary with 48 pending nominations.
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