The Senate confirmed President Joe Biden’s nomination of Nelson to a federal judge on Wednesday, Feb. 15, by a vote of 52 to 46. ended its session before the entire Senate voted.

Nelson is a resident of Clackamas County.

In a statement supporting her nomination, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden said:

“There are many things I love about Judge Nelson, but what I love most is that she is a role model for young people. Young people in my state really look up to Judge Nelson. In fact, Happy Valley has Adrian C. Nelson High School (2021), and everyone reports that the students there simply love her.

Nelson, 55, was a circuit judge in Multnomah County until Governor Kate Brown appointed her the first black justice on the Oregon Supreme Court in early 2018.

Before Governor Ted Krongoski named her to the bench in 2006, she worked at Multnomah Defenders Inc., the Portland law firm of Bennett, Hartman, Morris & Kaplan, and Portland State University.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas in 1989 and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993.

Biden issued a statement the day before, in which the Senate confirmed his 100th appointment to the U.S. District Court and Court of Appeals, and expected Senate approval of Nelson’s nomination.

“I am proud to say that the candidates I have proposed and have been approved by the Senate represent diversity, one of our greatest assets as a nation, and that our joint work has been tremendous in just two years. I am especially proud of breaking down so many barriers.

“We have made significant progress in ensuring that federal justice not only looks like the nation as a whole, but also includes judges with professional backgrounds who have historically been underrepresented on the bench. Done… 76% of Article 3 judges identified during my administration were female, and 68% were people of color.”

Lena Zwarenstein, senior director of the fair courts program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said in a Senate post-vote statement:

“Judge Nelson is committed to protecting the rights of all people, as evidenced by his experience as an impartial attorney in state courts and his work as a public defender. Diverse and historically underrepresented. Diversity, including having judges with personal and professional experience that has been valued, helps improve judicial decision-making.…We congratulate Justice Nelson on this historic confirmation. increase.

She will be the first black woman to serve as a federal judge in Oregon. Her Ancer Haggerty, who played on the court from 1993 until 2014, was the first black man.

Senator Wyden and Oregon Senator Jeff Markley, both Democrats, voted for her nomination. A joint statement later said:

“Today’s vote adds a highly capable Oregon native to the U.S. District Court, and she brings a powerful combination of comprehensive legal experience and a commitment to justice for all. As the first black woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court, Justice Nelson has amassed an impressive record of achievements in our state and we look forward to seeing the contributions she makes from the federal courts.”

The ballot included 46 Democrats plus three independents: Angus King of Maine, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Kirsten Cinema of Arizona, and Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and South Carolina. Lindsay Graham and Lisa Markowski of of Alaska. All other Republicans voted against. Two Democrats were absent.

In his remarks, Wyden said that at the confirmation hearing in 2022, Nelson would endorse not only other Oregon Supreme Court judges, but also Billy Williams, who was the U.S. Attorney in Oregon from 2015 to 2021. I said I got Mike Reese, then Multnomah County Sheriff and former Portland Police Chief, and Max Williams, former president of the Oregon Community Foundation, former director of the Oregon Department of Corrections, and former Republican state representative of Tigard. There were no negative remarks.

“In addition to these impressive achievements and accolades, it’s clear Judge Nelson hasn’t lost sight of the legislature fighting tooth and nail in the American legal system. I know you bring this dedication and commitment to justice to every case.

“Judge Nelson’s first-class qualifications leave no doubt that she will make an excellent federal judge.”

Nelson succeeds Michael Mossman, a former U.S. Attorney in Oregon who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003. Mossman said he will move into a senior position at the end of 2021. he raises his rank.

As for Nelson’s position, her move to federal court marks Governor Tina Kotek’s first appointment to the Oregon Supreme Court. The person will run for election to the end of her six-year term as a nonpartisan in the statewide primary on May 21, 2024.

During nearly eight years as governor, Brown appointed all seven Supreme Court justices. This includes two appointees who are successors to judges who retired on December 31, shortly before Brown resigned on January 9.