Amir Ali
Amir Ali is a president and executive director of the MacArthur Justice Center and director of the Criminal Justice Appellate Clinic at Harvard Law School .[1]
On February 1, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Ali to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. As of March 7, 2024, Ali was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full U.S. Senate.[2] Click here for more information on Ali's federal judicial nomination.
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden
On February 1, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Ali to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.[2][1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Amir Ali |
| Court: United States District Court for the District of Columbia |
| Progress |
| 128 days since nomination. |
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript |
| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
Confirmation vote
As of March 7, 2024, Ali was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full U.S. Senate. Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a full Senate vote.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Ali's nomination on February 8, 2024. Ali was reported to the full Senate on March 7, 2024, after a 11-10 committee vote.[3]
Nomination
On January 10, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Amir Ali to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The president officially nominated Ali on February 1, 2024.[2]Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Joe Biden.
The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Ali well qualified.[4] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Biography
Education
Ali earned a B.S.E. from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada in 2008 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 2011.[1]
Professional career
- 2021-present: president and executive Director of the MacArthur Justice Center
- 2018-present: director of the Criminal Justice Appellate Clinic at Harvard Law School
- 2013-2017: private practice
- 2012-2013: law clerk for Justice Marshall Rothstein on the Supreme Court of Canada
- 2011-2012: law clerk for Judge Raymond C. Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit[1]
About the court
| District of Columbia |
|---|
| District of Columbia Circuit |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 15 |
| Judges: 13 |
| Vacancies: 2 |
| Judges |
| Chief: James E. Boasberg |
| Active judges: Loren AliKhan, James E. Boasberg, Tanya S. Chutkan, Jia Cobb, Rudolph Contreras, Christopher Reid Cooper, Dabney Friedrich, Timothy J. Kelly, Trevor McFadden, Amit Priyavadan Mehta, Randolph D. Moss, Carl Nichols, Ana C. Reyes Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is one of 94 United States district courts. Cases dealing with the laws of the District of Columbia are heard by this court only under the same circumstances that would cause a case under state law to come before a federal court. Appeals from this court are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The court sits in the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse located on Constitution Avenue NW. The District has no local district attorney or equivalent, and so prosecutorial matters fall under the jurisdiction of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.
The District Court for the District of Columbia has original jurisdiction over cases filed in the District of Columbia. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The D.C. District Court hears federal cases within the District of Columbia. Its appellate court is the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
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 the Senate 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 a blue 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.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The White House, "President Biden Names Forty-Fourth Round of Judicial Nominees," accessed January 10, 2024
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Congress.gov, "PN1402 — Amir H. Ali — The Judiciary," accessed February 5, 2024
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Executive Business Meeting," accessed March 7, 2024
- ↑ American Bar Association, "STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY," accessed March 5, 2024