Chad Readler

Chad Andrew Readler (born August 23, 1972)[1] is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and former Principal Deputy and former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Civil Division.

Chad A. Readler
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Incumbent
Assumed office March 7, 2019
Appointed by	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Deborah L. Cook
Acting United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division
In office December 11, 2017 – September 4, 2018
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Himself
Succeeded by	Jody Hunt
In office January 30, 2017 – November 16, 2017
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Benjamin C. Mizer (acting)
Succeeded by	Himself
Personal details
Born	August 23, 1972 Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
Education	University of Michigan (BA, JD)

Biography

Readler (pronounced: RAYD-ler) earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he served on the editorial board of the University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk for Judge Alan Eugene Norris of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Readler began his legal career in the Columbus, Ohio, office of Jones Day, including spending ten years as a partner in the Issues and Appeals Group.[2] While at Jones Day, Readler represented the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.[3] He also successfully argued before the Supreme Court of the United States in McQuiggin v. Perkins on behalf of a pro bono client claiming actual innocence. His other pro bono representations include representing capital defendants before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Ohio, representing defendants sentenced to life in prison before the Sixth Circuit, and challenging dismissals of claims filed by pro se litigants.[2]

Prior to becoming a judge, Readler was Principal Deputy United States Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice Civil Division, a position he held beginning on January 30, 2017. Readler previously served as Acting United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division from January 2017 to September 2018. In that role, Readler led and supervised the Department's largest litigating division and actively briefed and argued several cases on behalf of the United States in federal courts across the country.[2]

Federal judicial service

On June 7, 2018, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Readler to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.[2] On June 18, 2018, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Readler to the seat being vacated by Judge Deborah L. Cook, who previously announced her intention to take senior status on a date to be determined.[4] In June 2018, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown said he did not plan to return a blue slip for Readler's nomination, while U.S. Senator Rob Portman said he planned to support Readler's nomination.[5] On October 10, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[6]

During his confirmation proceedings, Democrats criticized Readler for having supported a Republican lawsuit aimed at dismantling the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions.[7][8]

On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. He was renominated on January 23, 2019.[9] On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[10] On March 5, 2019, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on the nomination by a vote of 53–45.[11] On March 6, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a vote of 52–47.[12] He received his judicial commission on March 7, 2019.

Memberships

He is a member of the Federalist Society.[13]

See also

• Donald Trump judicial appointment controversies

References

1. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Chad Andrew Readler
2. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Fifteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Fourteenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees, and Ninth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees". whitehouse.gov. June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "FDA delays enforcement of stricter standards for e-cigarette, cigar industry". Washington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
4. "Seventeen Nominations and One Withdrawal Sent to the Senate Today", White House, June 18, 2018
5. Heisig, Eric (June 7, 2018). "Sen. Sherrod Brown says he will not support Trump's nominees for Ohio-based appeals court". Cleveland.com. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
6. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for October 10, 2018
7. Hulse, Carl (March 6, 2019). "Senate Confirms Trump Nominee Who as Justice Official Fought the Affordable Care Act". The New York Times. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
8. Lesniewski, Niels (March 6, 2019). "Democrats vow Judge Chad Readler will be 2020 issue". Retrieved March 7, 2019.
9. "Nominations Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov. White House. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
10. Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
11. Roll Call Vote 116th Congress - 1st Session United States Senate Vote Summary: Vote Number 36, United States Senate, March 5, 2019
12. Roll Call Vote 116th Congress - 1st Session United States Senate Vote Summary: Vote Number 37, United States Senate, March 6, 2019
13. "Chad A. Readler". fedsoc.org. Retrieved July 1, 2018.

External links

• Chad Readler at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Chad Readler at Ballotpedia
• Appearances at the U.S. Supreme Court from the Oyez Project