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David Joseph

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David C. Joseph

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana

Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

Education

Bachelor's

University of Oklahoma, 2000

Law

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, 2003

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

2005 - 2008

Personal

Birthplace

Dallas, TX

Contact

Official website

David C. Joseph is a judge on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. He was nominated to the court by PresidentDonald Trump (R) on December 2, 2019. TheU.S. Senate confirmed Joseph on July 28, 2020, by a 55-42 vote. To see a full list of judges appointed byDonald Trump,click here.

TheUnited States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is one of 94U.S. district courts. They are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. To learn more about the Western District of Louisiana,click here.

Joseph was theUnited States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana from 2018 to 2020.

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (2020-present)

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On December 2, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Joseph to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.^[1] TheU.S. Senate confirmed Joseph by a vote of 55-42 on July 28, 2020.^[2] He received commission on July 31, 2020.^[3] To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: David Joseph
Court:United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Progress
Confirmed 239 days after nomination.
ANominated: December 2, 2019
AABA Rating:Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
AHearing: January 8, 2020

QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)

AReported: May 14, 2020
AConfirmed: July 28, 2020
AVote: 55-42

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Joseph on July 28, 2020, on a vote of 55-42.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Joseph confirmation vote (July 28, 2020)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	2	41	2
Republican	53	0	0
Independent	0	1	1
Total	55	42	3

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Joseph was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, theU.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees todistrict court judgeships from 30 hours after invokingcloture to two.^[4]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as thenuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[5]

It was the third use of thenuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to theSupreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.^[6] For more, seeFilibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Joseph had his hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee on January 8, 2020.^[7] The committee voted 12-10 to advance Joseph's nomination on May 14.^[8]

Nomination

On November 20, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Joseph to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.^[9] The president officially submitted the nomination on December 2, 2019.^[1]

The nomination was returned to the president at thesine die adjournment of theU.S. Senate on January 3, 2020.^[1] The president officially renominated Joseph on January 6.^[2]

Joseph was nominated to replace JudgeDee Drell, who assumedsenior status on November 30, 2017.^[1]

TheAmerican Bar Association unanimously rated Josephwell qualified for the position.^[10] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

Early life and education

Joseph was born on May 6, 1977, inDallas, Texas. He obtained a B.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 and aJ.D. from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 2003. During his legal studies, Joseph was a member of theLouisiana Law Review. Joseph also completed the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's basic course inCharlottesville, Virginia, in 2005.^[11]

Military service

Joseph's military service includes:

2011-2013: United States Army Reserve
2005-2008: United States Army
2000-2003: Louisiana Army National Guard
1997-2000: Oklahoma Army National Guard^[11]

Professional career

2020-present: Judge,U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
2014-2020: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana
- 2018-2020:U.S. attorney
- 2014-2018: Assistant U.S. attorney
2012-2014: Senior attorney, Professional Liability & Financial Crimes Section,Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
2011-2013: CPT, Triaf Defense Service, National Guard/Reserve
2011-2012: Litigation attorney, Kane, Russell, Coleman & Logan, P.C.
2008-2011: Litigation associate, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
2004-2005: Law clerk to JudgeJohn V. Parker,United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
2003-2004: Law clerk to JudgeJeffrey P. Victory,Louisiana Supreme Court^[11]

Awards and associations

Awards

2018: Bronze medal for commendable service,Environmental Protection Agency
2017, 2016: Special act award, U.S. Attorney's Office
2013, 2012: Mission achievement award, FDIC
2013: Corporation monetary award, FDIC
2008: Army commendation medal
2005: Judge Advocate General's award for professional merit
2005: Global war on terrorism service medal^[11]

Associations

Dallas Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Lafayette Bar Association
Louisiana State Bar Association
Shreveport Bar Association
Texas Bar Association^[11]

About the court

Western District of Louisiana
Fifth Circuit

Judgeships
Posts: 7
Judges: 7
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Terry A. Doughty
Active judges:James D. Cain, Jr.,Terry A. Doughty,Jerry Edwards Jr.,Maurice Hicks,David C. Joseph,Robert Summerhays,Alexander Van Hook Senior judges: Dee Drell,Elizabeth Erny Foote,Robert James,Tucker Melancon,James Trimble,Donald Walter

TheUnited States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is one of 94United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based inNew Orleans, at theJohn Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Parishes of the Western District of Louisiana (click for larger map)

The Western District of Louisiana hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Western District of Louisiana consists of all the followingparishes in the western part of the state ofLouisiana.^[12]

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 theSenate 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 ablue 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.