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Kristi Johnson

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Kristi Haskins Johnson

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

Education

Bachelor's

University of Mississippi, 2003

Law

Mississippi College School of Law, 2008

Personal

Birthplace

Oxford, MS

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Official website

Kristi Haskins Johnson is a judge on theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She was nominated by PresidentDonald Trump (R) on May 4, 2020, and confirmed by a 53-43 vote of theU.S. Senate on November 17, 2020. She received her judicial commission on December 1, 2020. To see a full list of judges appointed byDonald Trump,click here.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi is one of 94U.S. District Courts. They are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. To learn more about the court,click here.

Johnson was the solicitor general ofMississippi in 2020.^[1]

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 4, 2020, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Johnson to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She was confirmed by a 53-43 vote of the U.S. Senate on November 17, 2020. She received commission on December 1, 2020.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: Kristi Haskins Johnson
Court:United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Progress
Confirmed 197 days after nomination.
ANominated: May 4, 2020
AABA Rating:Unanimously Qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
AHearing: September 9, 2020

QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)

AReported: October 22, 2020
AConfirmed: November 17, 2020
AVote: 53-43

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Johnson by a 53-43 vote on November 17, 2020.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Johnson confirmation vote (November 17, 2020)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	3	41	1
Republican	50	0	3
Independent	0	2	0
Total	53	43	4

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Johnson 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.^[3]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as thenuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[4]

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.^[5] For more, seeFilibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Johnson had her hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee on September 9, 2020.^[6] Johnson's nomination was reported to the full Senate on October 22, 2020, after a 12-0 committee vote. No Democratic committee members were present to advance her nomination.^[7]

Nomination

On March 30, 2020, PresidentDonald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Johnson to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.^[8] The president officially submitted her nomination on May 4.^[2]

Johnson was nominated to replace JudgeKeith Starrett, who assumedsenior status on April 30, 2019.^[2]

Mississippi Sens.Roger Wicker (R) andCindy Hyde-Smith (R) supported Johnson's nomination. Both senators emphasized that Johnson would be the first woman to serve as a federal judge for the Southern District of Mississippi.

Said Hyde-Smith: "Kristi Johnson’s legal and academic career indicate she will make an excellent U.S. District Court Judge. It was a pleasure to recommend a well-qualified Mississippian to be the first woman judge to serve in the Southern District."
Said Wicker: "Johnson is a well-respected litigator who has the qualifications, intellect, and experience necessary to serve with distinction. And, if confirmed, she would bring an important perspective to the bench as the first woman to serve as a federal judge for the Southern District."^[9]

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

Early life and education

Johnson was born inOxford, Mississippi, in 1980. She obtained a B.A. from the University of Mississippi in 2003. She earned herJ.D.,summa cum laude, from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2008. During her legal studies, she served as an editor for theMississippi College Law Review.^[8]^[11]

Professional career

2020-present: Judge,United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
2020: Solicitor general, State ofMississippi
2014-2020: Assistant U.S. attorney,United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Mississippi
2011-2014: Attorney, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
2010-2011: Law clerk to JudgeLeslie Southwick,United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
2008-2010: Law clerk to JudgeSharion Aycock,United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi^[12]

Awards and associations

Awards

2019:
- Mississippi Distinguished Civilian Award
- United States Attorney Daniel E. Lynn Award for Superior Litigation Service in Civil Litigation
2018: Letter of appreciation, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
2017: Letter of commendation, National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General^[11]

Associations

2018-present: Member,The Federalist Society
2017-2019: Bencher, Charles L. Clark Chapter of the American Inns of Court
2011-2012: Editorial board, Mississippi Defense Lawyer's Association
2010-2014: Member, Jackson Young Lawyer's Association
2008: Member, Mississippi Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
- 2020: Vice-president
- 2019: Treasurer
- 2018: Secretary^[11]

About the court

Southern District of Mississippi
Fifth Circuit

Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Halil Ozerden
Active judges:Kristi Haskins Johnson,Daniel Jordan,Taylor McNeel,Halil Ozerden,Carlton W. Reeves,Henry Wingate Senior judges: David Bramlette,Louis Guirola,Tom Lee,Keith Starrett

TheUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 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 in downtownNew Orleans at theJohn Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Southern District of Mississippi has six authorized judicial posts. The chief judge of the court isDaniel Jordan, who was appointed byGeorge W. Bush (R). Two judges on the court were appointed byDonald Trump (R).

The Southern District of Mississippi 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 Southern District of Mississippi consists of all the followingcounties in the southern part of the state ofMississippi.

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.