Senate Confirms Contreras for U.S. District Court Judge in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) applauded today's Senate vote to confirm Rudolph Contreras, President Obama's nominee for U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia, whom Norton recommended to the President. Contreras will be only the second Latino to serve on the U.S. district court here. Norton also recommended the first Latino, Judge Ricardo Urbina, who announced he is retiring and has taken senior status. Contreras began his legal career at Jones Day, a large, international law firm, and then was brought on as an assistant U.S. attorney by then-U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Eric Holder. Contreras, who currently serves as chief of the Civil Division in the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has spent most of his career as an assistant U.S. attorney here. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, cum laude and Order of the Coif, where he served on the law review.

"Mr. Contreras is a gifted lawyer and manager who has already had a remarkable legal career," Norton said. "The post that Mr. Contreras currently holds has produced two judges who currently serve on this federal court. I applaud the Senate for moving forward with his confirmation."

President Obama, like President Clinton, granted Norton senatorial courtesy to recommend federal district court judges, the U.S. attorney, and other important federal law enforcement officials in the District. Four Norton recommendations to President Obama for federal district court judge here – Amy Berman Jackson, Robert L. Wilkins, Beryl A. Howell, and James E. Boasberg – have been confirmed by the Senate and are now serving. The Congresswoman established a commission of D.C. residents, chaired by Pauline Schneider, to investigate candidates and give her recommendations, which she uses to help select candidates to submit to the President.

Published: March 22, 2012