President Biden Makes Twenty-Seventh Judicial Nominations Announcement and Announces New Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshals

The President is announcing his intent to nominate one new federal judicial nominee who is extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution.

This is President Biden’s twenty-seventh round of nominees for federal judicial positions, bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 144. 

President Biden has spent decades committed to strengthening the federal bench, which is why he continues to move rapidly to fill judicial vacancies. And he has won confirmation of the most lower court judges for the first year of a presidency since the Kennedy Administration.

President Biden is also announcing his intent to nominate three new nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys and three new nominees to serve as U.S. Marshals. These are officials who will be indispensable to upholding the rule of law as top federal law enforcement officials.

These individuals were chosen for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice.

The President has proposed a budget that would significantly increase funding for law enforcement as part of a comprehensive approach to tackling the rising crime rate this administration inherited last year.

The President has also launched a comprehensive effort to take on the uptick in gun crime that has been taking place since 2020—putting more cops on the beat, supporting community prevention programs, and cracking down on illegal gun trafficking. Confirming U.S. Attorneys as the chief federal law enforcement officers in their district is important for these efforts.

The President has now announced 63 nominees to serve as U.S. Attorneys and 20 nominees to serve as U.S. Marshals.

United States District Court Announcement

1. Scott Colom: Candidate for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi 

Scott Colom has served as the District Attorney for the 16th Judicial District of Mississippi since 2016. Mr. Colom practiced law at the Colom Law Firm LLC from 2011 to 2016. While working in private practice, Mr. Colom served in several part-time roles, including as the City Prosecutor for Columbus, Mississippi from 2013 to 2016; as a Municipal Court Judge in Aberdeen, Mississippi from 2012 to 2013; and as an Interim Justice Court Judge for Lowndes County, Mississippi from 2011 to 2012. From 2009 to 2011, as a Skadden Fellow, he was a staff lawyer at the Mississippi Center for Justice. Mr. Colom received his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2009 and his B.A. from Millsaps College in 2005.

United States District Court Announcement

1. Jaime E. Esparza: Candidate for United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas
   
   Jaime E. Esparza served as the District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District of Texas from 1993 to 2020. Mr. Esparza previously served as an Assistant County Attorney in the El Paso County Attorney’s Office in 1992 and was the First Assistant Public Defender for the El Paso County Public Defender’s Office from 1988 to 1991. Mr. Esparza served as an Assistant District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District of Texas in 1987 and as an Assistant District Attorney in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, Texas from 1983 to 1987. Mr. Esparza received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1983 and a B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1979.
   
2. Alamdar S. Hamdani: Candidate for United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
   
   Alamdar S. Hamdani has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas since 2014. He previously served as Deputy Chief of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division at the Department of Justice from 2012 to 2014 and as a trial attorney in the Counterterrorism Section from 2010 to 2012. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Hamdani was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Mr. Hamdani was a founding partner of Hamdani & Simon LLP from 2005 to 2008; an associate at Winstead Sechrest & Minick PC from 2001 to 2005; and an associate at Dow, Cogburn & Friedman PC from 1999 to 2001. Mr. Hamdani received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 1999 and his B.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.
   
3. Leigha Simonton: Candidate for United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas
   
   Leigha Simonton has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas since 2005. From 2003 to 2005, Ms. Simonton was an associate at Haynes & Boone, LLP. She served as a law clerk for Judge Patrick E. Higginbotham on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 2002 to 2003 and Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas from 2001 to 2002. Ms. Simonton received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2001 and her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1997.

United States Marshal Announcements

1. Michael D. Black: Candidate for United States Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio
   
   Michael D. Black has been the Director of Protective Services for OhioHealth Corporation since 2021. Previously, he was Deputy Director and Director of Investigations and Security at the Ohio Lottery Commission from 2019 to 2021, and he was Senior Manager for Global Physical Security and Safety Operations in the Global Security Office at Symantec from 2018 to 2019. Mr. Black previously served in the Ohio State Highway Patrol from 1989 to 2018, retiring as Assistant Superintendent and Lieutenant Colonel of Operations. Mr. Black held various other roles with the Ohio State Highway Patrol including Major and Commander of the Office of Criminal Investigations from 2012 to 2017; Captain and Columbus District Commander from 2011 to 2012; Staff Lieutenant from 2004 to 2008; Lieutenant from 1999 to 2004; Sergeant from 1998 to 1999; Academy Sergeant from 1994 to 1998; and Trooper from 1989 to 1995. Mr. Black is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
   
2. Stephen Eberle: Candidate for United States Marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania
   
   Stephen Eberle has been a Regional Director for Secure Community Network since 2021. He previously served with the Pennsylvania State Police from 1995 to 2021, retiring as Major and Area I Commander. Mr. Eberle held various other roles with the Pennsylvania State Police including as Major and Director of the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations from 2017 to 2018; Captain and Commanding Officer of Troop A from 2013 to 2017; Lieutenant and Western Section Commander of the Internal Affairs Division from 2011 to 2013; Sergeant from 2007 to 2011; Corporal from 2004 to 2007; and Trooper from 1995 to 2004. Mr. Eberle received his B.S. from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
   
3. Justin Martinez: Candidate for United States Marshal of the District of Utah
   
   Justin Martinez has served as the Sheriff of Summit County, Utah, since 2015. From 2005 to 2015, he was a Captain with the Summit County Sheriff’s Department. Mr. Martinez previously served as a Police Officer in the Draper City Police Department from 2003 to 2005 and a Sergeant in the Utah Transit Authority Police Department from 2001 to 2003. From 1999 to 2001 he served as a Corrections Officer in the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office and a Police Officer in the Sandy City Police Department from 1996 to 1998. Mr. Martinez received his M.B.A from the University of Utah in 2017 and his B.S. from Utah Valley University in 2010. He is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard.

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