Robert L. Pitman | |
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| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas | |
| Assumed office December 19, 2014 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | William Royal Furgeson Jr. |
| United States Attorney for theWestern District of Texas | |
| In office October 3, 2011 – December 19, 2014 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Johnny Sutton |
| Succeeded by | Richard Durbin |
| Magistrate Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas | |
| In office 2003–2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Lee Pitman 1962 (age 63–64) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse | Biel Pitman |
| Education | Abilene Christian University (BA) University of Texas, Austin (JD) University of Oxford (MSt) |
Robert Lee Pitman (born 1962)[1] is an American attorney who serves as aUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas. He is a formerUnited States attorney for the Western District of Texas. He was previously aUnited States magistrate judge of the same court.
Pitman was born inFort Worth, Texas, in 1962, the youngest of five children.[1][2] He received aBachelor of Science degree fromAbilene Christian University, where he was student body president.[3] Pitman then obtained aJuris Doctor from theUniversity of Texas School of Law.[3] After completing law school, Pitman served as alaw clerk for JudgeDavid Owen Belew Jr. of theUnited States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth.[3] Pitman holds aMaster of Studies degree inInternational Human Rights Law from theUniversity of Oxford.[4][5]
Following his judicial clerkship, Pitman began his career at the international law firm ofFulbright & Jaworski inHouston. In 2001, Pitman briefly served as interimUnited States attorney for the Western District of Texas.[3] As United States attorney on September 11, 2001, he formed the firstanti-terrorism task force in the district, uniting local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in their counter-terrorism efforts and in their work to better secure Texas' international border. He was replaced byGeorge W. Bush appointeeJohnny Sutton, who asked Pitman to remain in the office as his chief deputy.[3] In October 2003, Pitman was selected to serve as aUnited States magistrate judge for theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas.[3] As magistrate judge, Pitman consistently ranked highest among all local, state, and federal judges in the judicial poll conducted annually by the Austin Bar Association.[6] In 2009,Republican SenatorsJohn Cornyn andKay Bailey Hutchison sent Pitman's name toDemocratic PresidentBarack Obama as one of two candidates for United States attorney for the Western District of Texas.[7][8] The recommendation of Pitman, who isopenly gay, was publicly opposed by asocial conservative group in Texas.[7][8] On June 27, 2011, almost two years after Pitman was recommended for the post, Obama notified members of Congress that he would nominate Pitman to be United States attorney for the Western District of Texas.[9] He was formally nominated the following day.[10] Citing his credentials and experience, and expressing a desire to fill the position with the most qualified candidate, he was supported by Texas' two United States Senators, both Republicans. With their support, the United States Senate confirmed Pitman to be the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Western District of Texas on September 26, 2011. He took office on October 3, 2011. He left office on December 19, 2014, upon receiving his judicial commission.[4][5] He is currently an adjunct professor at theUniversity of Texas School of Law.
On June 26, 2014, PresidentBarack Obama nominated Pitman to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, to the seat vacated by JudgeWilliam Royal Furgeson Jr., who assumedsenior status on November 30, 2008.[11] He received a hearing before theUnited States Senate Committee on the Judiciary for September 9, 2014.[12] On November 20, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee byvoice vote.[13] On Saturday, December 13, 2014,Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid filed a motion to invokecloture on the nomination. On December 16, 2014, Reid withdrew his cloture motion on Pitman's nomination, and the Senate proceeded to vote to confirm Pitman by avoice vote. He received his judicial commission on December 19, 2014.[5]
Pitman is a sixth-generation Texan and lives in Austin. He is an avid outdoorsman and horseman. Pitman was the first openly gay United States attorney in Texas.[21] He was one of four openly LGBT U.S. Attorneys, alongsideJenny Durkan of theWestern District of Washington,Laura Duffy of theSouthern District of California andAnne Tompkins of theWestern District of North Carolina.[22] Upon receiving his judicial commission, Pitman became the first openly gay judge to sit on the federal bench within theFifth Circuit of the federal court system, which covers Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.[23][24][25]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas 2014–present | Incumbent |