President Obama Nominates Memphis Judge Bernice Donald for U.S. Sixth Circuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, President Barack Obama announced his nomination of Judge Bernice Donald for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. The Memphian Judge currently serves as a United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee, a position she’s held for 15 years.

Judge Donald received both her undergraduate degree and her J.D. from the University of Memphis. Judge Donald has a broad range of legal experience ranging from private practice to the Shelby County Public Defender’s Office to the bench. In 1982, Judge Donald was elected to serve as a judge on the Court of General Sessions in Shelby County, making her the first female African-American judge in the history of Tennessee. In 1988, she became the first female African-American federal bankruptcy judge in the nation when she was appointed to that position by the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

This afternoon, Congressman Cohen called Judge Donald to congratulate her on the nomination. Congressman Cohen stated, “I’ve known Judge Donald for over 30 years, including when she presented cases before me as an attorney during my brief tenure as Shelby County General Sessions Court Judge in 1980. I’ve known her to be fair, honest and just. As I told her when we spoke today, she has served Memphis proud.” Judge Donald will now face the confirmation process in the U.S. Senate.