Omar A. Williams
2021 - Present
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Omar A. Williams is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. He was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on June 15, 2021, and confirmed by the United States Senate on October 28, 2021, by a vote of 52-46.[1][2][3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.
The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Prior to his confirmation, Williams was a judge for the New London District Superior Court in Connecticut.[4] Williams was appointed to the court by Governor Dannel Malloy in 2014.[5]
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the District of Connecticut (2021-present)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden
On June 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Williams to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. He was confirmed by a 52-46 vote of the U.S. Senate on October 28, 2021.[1][2][3] Williams received commission on November 12, 2021.[6] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Nominee Information |
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Name: Omar Williams |
Court: United States District Court for the District of Connecticut |
Progress |
Confirmed 135 days after nomination. |
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Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
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Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript |
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
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Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Williams by a vote of 52-46 on October 28, 2021.[3] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
Williams confirmation vote (October 28, 2021) | |||||||||
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Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
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47 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
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3 | 46 | 1 | ||||||
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2 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Total | 52 | 46 | 2 |
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Williams' nomination on July 27, 2021. The committee voted to advance Williams' nomination to the full Senate on September 23, 2021.
Nomination
On June 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Williams to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.[1][2][3]
Williams was nominated to replace Judge Alvin Thompson, who assumed senior status on August 31, 2018.[1][7]
The American Bar Association rated Williams Well Qualified.[8] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Biography
Bildung
Williams earned his B.A. from the University of Connecticut and his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law.[5]
Professional career
Prior to joining the court, Williams was an assistant public defender for the state of Connecticut.[5]
About the court
District of Connecticut |
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Second Circuit |
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Judgeships |
Posts: 8 |
Judges: 7 |
Vacancies: 1 |
Judges |
Chief: Michael Shea |
Active judges: Victor Allen Bolden, Kari A. Dooley, Jeffrey Meyer, Sarala Nagala, Vernon D. Oliver, Michael Shea, Omar A. Williams Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut is one of 94 United States district courts. The court has offices in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit based in lower Manhattan at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in the New York City area.
The District of Connecticut has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The jurisdiction of the District of Connecticut consists of all the counties in the state of Connecticut.
The court's headquarters are in New Haven, with additional courthouses in Bridgeport and Hartford.
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
The federal nomination process
Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:
- The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
- The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
- As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
- After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
- If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
- If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
- The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
- If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
- If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.
See also
- United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
- Connecticut Superior Court
- Judicial selection in Connecticut
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- State of Connecticut Judicial Branch
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," June 15, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The White House, "President Biden Announces 4th Slate of Judicial Nominations," June 15, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Congress.gov, "PN644 — Omar Antonio Williams — The Judiciary," accessed June 16, 2021
- ↑ State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, "Judges by Judicial District," accessed January 20, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 State of Connecticut: Governor Dannel P. Malloy, "Gov. Malloy Nominates Four Connecticut Residents to Superior Court, Five to Board of Pardons and Paroles," October 8, 2014
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Williams, Omar Antonio," accessed November 16, 2021
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Thompson, Alvin W.," accessed June 16, 2021
- ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES 117TH CONGRESS," last updated July 27, 2021
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the District of Connecticut 2021-Present |
Succeeded by - |
Preceded by - |
New London District Superior Court 2014-2021 |
Succeeded by - |
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Active judges |
Chief Judge: Michael Shea • Kari A. Dooley • Vernon D. Oliver • Jeffrey Meyer • Victor Allen Bolden • Omar A. Williams • Sarala Nagala | ||
Senior judges |
Robert Chatigny • Vanessa Bryant • Alfred Covello • Janet Hall • Alvin Thompson • Stefan Underhill • | ||
Magistrate judges | Holly Fitzsimmons • Robert A. Richardson (Connecticut) • Robert Spector • Thomas Farrish • S. Dave Vatti • | ||
Former Article III judges |
Janet Arterton • Ellen Burns (Connecticut) • Peter Dorsey • Christopher Droney • Warren Eginton • Mark Kravitz • Alan Nevas • Dominic Squatrito • Richard Law • Pierpont Edwards • William Bristol • Andrew Thompson Judson • Charles Anthony Ingersoll • William Davis Shipman • Nathaniel Shipman • Jon Newman • Jose Cabranes • William Timbers • William Kneeland Townsend • James Perry Platt • Edwin Stark Thomas • Warren Booth Burrows • Carroll Hincks • John Joseph Smith • Robert Zampano • Gilroy Daly • Mosher Blumenfeld • Robert Palmer Anderson • T. Emmet Clarie • Sarah A.L. Merriam • | ||
Former Chief judges |
Robert Chatigny • Ellen Burns (Connecticut) • Alfred Covello • Alvin Thompson • Stefan Underhill • William Timbers • Carroll Hincks • John Joseph Smith • Gilroy Daly • Mosher Blumenfeld • Robert Palmer Anderson • T. Emmet Clarie • |
Federal courts:
Second Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Connecticut • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Connecticut
State courts:
Connecticut Supreme Court • Connecticut Appellate Court • Connecticut Superior Court • Connecticut Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Connecticut • Connecticut judicial elections • Judicial selection in Connecticut