Stephen Locher

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Stephen Locher
Image of Stephen Locher

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
Tenure

2022 - Present

Years in position

1

Predecessor
Prior offices
United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
Elections and appointments
Appointed

December 21, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of Notre Dame, 2000

Law

Harvard Law School, 2003

Personal
Birthplace
Mason City, Iowa

Stephen Locher is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. He was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on April 25, 2022, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 14, 2022, by a voice vote.[1][2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa 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.

Locher was previously a magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (Article III, 2022-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On April 25, 2022, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Locher to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. He was confirmed on July 14, 2022, by a voice vote, and received commission on July 18, 2022.[2][4] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Stephen Locher
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
Progress
Confirmed 80 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: April 25, 2022
ApprovedAABA Rating: Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: May 11, 2022
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: June 9, 2022 
ApprovedAConfirmed: July 14, 2022
ApprovedAVote: Voice vote


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Locher on July 14, 2022, by voice vote.[5]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Locher's nomination on May 11, 2022. The committee voted to advance Locher's nomination to the full Senate on June 9, 2022.[2]

Nomination

The president officially nominated Locher to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on April 25, 2022. Locher was nominated to replace Judge John Jarvey, who retired on March 18, 2022.[1]

The American Bar Association rated Locher well qualified.[6] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (Magistrate, 2021-2022)

Locher joined the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa as a federal magistrate judge on May 31, 2021.[7] He left this position after his confirmation as an Article III judge on the same court.

Biography

Early life and education

Locher was born in 1978 in Mason City, Iowa.[8] He earned a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, magna cum laude, in 2000 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2003.[3]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2013: Special recognition for work performed while an assistant United States attorney, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • 2012, 2011, 2010: Time Off Award for outstanding service, United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of lowa[8]

Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • Blackstone American Inn of Court
  • Federal Magistrate Judges Association
  • Harvard Law School Association
  • Iowa State Bar Association
  • Notre Dame Alumni Association[8]

About the court

Southern District of Iowa
Eighth Circuit
IA-SD Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 3
Judges: 3
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Stephanie Rose
Active judges:
Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger, Stephen Locher, Stephanie Rose

Senior judges:
James Gritzner, Ronald Longstaff, Robert Pratt


The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa is one of 94 United States district courts. It is headquartered in Des Moines, with satellite facilities in Council Bluffs and Davenport. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, based in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, at the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse and Building.

The Southern District of Iowa has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are three court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Central Division, covering Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Boone, Clarke, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Greene, Guthrie, Jasper, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lucas, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Monroe, Polk, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Story, Taylor, Union, Wapello, Warren and Wayne counties

The Eastern Division, covering Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Johnson, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren and Washington counties

The Western Division, covering Audubon, Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby counties

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. ↑ 1.0 1.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Nominations and Withdrawals Sent to the Senate," April 25, 2022
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Congress.gov, “PN1967 — Stephen Henley Locher — The Judiciary,” accessed June 9, 2022
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The White House, "President Biden Names Sixteenth Round of Judicial Nominees," April 13, 2022
  4. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Locher, Stephen Henley," accessed July 18, 2022
  5. ↑ Twitter, "@SenatePress," July 14, 2022
  6. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV Judicial Nominees: 117th Congress," accessed May 11, 2022
  7. ↑ U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, "Locher press release," December 28, 2020
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees," accessed May 19, 2022

Political offices
Preceded by
John Jarvey 		United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
2022-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
2021-2022		 Succeeded by
-


Iowa courts

Federal courts:

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Iowa, Southern District of Iowa

State courts:

Iowa Supreme Court • Iowa Court of Appeals • Iowa district courts

State resources:

Courts in Iowa • Iowa judicial elections • Judicial selection in Iowa

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