By BTL Staff
The U.S. Senate voted unanimously Wednesday to confirm out lesbian Judith E. Levy to the federal bench. Voting 97-0, the Senate confirmed Levy, along with three other judicial nominees, to serve as federal judges for southeast Michigan. Levy, who has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan since 2000 and has served as chief of that office's civil rights unit for the past three years, will serve as a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. President Obama nominated her for the seat July 25, 2013, upon the recommendation of Michigan U.S. Sens. Carl Levin (D) and Debbie Stabenow (D).
According to Levin, Levy, along with the three other judges confirmed has, "demonstrated a mastery of the law and the impartiality required of a judge, and I know they will serve justice and the people of Michigan well."
"Today's vote is great news for Michigan," added Stabenow in a statement. "These four highly respected jurists have dedicated their careers to our community and to public service and will serve our state with great distinction."
The American Bar Association weighed in on her nomination as well giving Levy a "unanimously qualified" rating.
Prior to becoming an assistant U.S. attorney, Levy was a trial attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1999 to 2000 and served as a law clerk to the Judge Bernard A. Friedman on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. (Judge Friedman recently oversaw the Michigan Marriage trial Feb. 25 – March 7. A decision on that case is expected shortly.) Levy attended the University of Michigan Law School and the University of Michigan. She is the 2013-2014 Public Interest/Public Service Faculty Fellow Lecturer.
"Judith Levy will make an incredible addition to Michigan's judiciary," said D'Arcy Kemnitz, executive director of the National LGBT Bar Association, in a statement. "LGBT representation in our courts is critical and speaks to the tremendous advocacy and support our community has received."
Levy adds to the growing number of gay federal judges confirmed during Obama's presidency.
In fact Levy was not the only LGBT judicial nominee to be appointed on March 12. Staci Michelle Yandle, nominated for a seat on the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Illinois, met with no opposition from Senate Judiciary Committee panel members.
