Sens. Cruz, Cornyn Praise Senate Judiciary Approval of Three Texas Judicial Nominees
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today released the following statements after the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary approved the nominations of Sean Jordan for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Plano, Wes Hendrix for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Lubbock, and Mark Pittman for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth:
"I am grateful my colleagues on the committee favorably reported Mark, Sean, and Wes for the federal bench in Texas," Sen. Cruz said. "These three nominees are highly qualified and each have demonstrated a strong commitment to the rule of law. I have every confidence they will serve Texans well, and I urge their swift confirmation by the full Senate."
"Together, these three candidates will bring decades of public service experience and wisdom to the bench," Sen. Cornyn said. "I was proud to recommend each of them to the White House, and I look forward to confirming them in the Senate so Wes, Mark, and Sean can take their seats on the federal bench."
Sens. Cruz and Cornyn recommended all three nominees to President Trump following an extensive review and interview process of the candidate pool by the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC). Sens. Cruz and Cornyn established the FJEC, a bipartisan panel of leading attorneys in Texas, to help identify the most qualified candidates to fill judicial vacancies. The panel reviewed applications, interviewed candidates, and made recommendations to the Senators, who interviewed individuals before making their recommendations to the President.
Sean D. Jordan of Texas has been nominated to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Sean Jordan is a partner in the Austin, Texas, office of Jackson Walker L.L.P.. He is the Co-Chair of the firm's Appellate Practice Group, where his practice focuses on appellate and complex civil litigation and regulatory compliance. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Jordan served as Principal Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Texas, representing the State in appeals in both federal and state courts. He also served in the United States Army as an infantryman and paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Mr. Jordan received his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D., with Honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.
James Wesley ("Wes") Hendrix of Texas has been nominated to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Wes Hendrix serves as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. He is Chief of the office's Appellate Division, a member of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, and Chairperson of the Nationwide Appellate Chiefs Workings Group. Prior to joining the government in 2007, Mr. Hendrix was an associate in the Dallas, Texas, office of Baker Botts L.L.P., where his practice focused on complex civil litigation. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to Judge Patrick Higginbotham of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Hendrix received his B.A., with Honors, from the University of Chicago and his J.D., with High Honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.
Mark T. Pittman of Texas has been nominated to serve as District Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Mark Pittman is a Justice on Texas's Second Court of Appeals, where he has served since 2017. Prior to joining the appellate court, Justice Pittman was a Judge on the State's 352nd District Court, based in Fort Worth, Texas. Before his judicial service, Justice Pittman served as an Enforcement Attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Fort Worth, Texas and held multiple positions within the Department of Justice, including as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas and Trial Attorney in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division. After graduating from law school, Justice Pittman clerked for Judge Eldon Mahon of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Texas A&M University and his J.D. from the University of Texas.
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