WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) today praised a bipartisan vote of the Senate to confirm Judges Nitza Quiñones Alejandro and Jeffrey Schmehl as U.S. District Judges for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
President Obama nominated these judges upon the joint recommendation of Senators Casey and Toomey. Both Judges Quiñones and Schmehl were unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March.
Judge Quiñones will also be the first Latina to be confirmed for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
“I’m pleased that the Senate has come together in a bipartisan fashion to confirm Nitza Quiñones Alejandro and Jeffrey Schmehl to the federal bench,” said Senator Casey. “Both of these newly confirmed judges are legal scholars with excellent track records. Nitza’s life as a lawyer, judge and civic leader make her a true American success story. Her 21 years on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas have prepared her well for a seat on the federal bench, and I’m confident she’ll serve the Eastern District of Pennsylvania well. Jeffrey Schmehl’s experience as a lawyer and judge has prepared him well for the task he is about to embark on as a federal judge. He brings unquestioned integrity and recognized legal scholarship to his new position.”
“I am pleased and grateful that the Senate has confirmed Judges Quiñones and Schmehl as U.S. District Court judges for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Toomey. “Since joining the Senate, I've worked closely with Sen. Casey to fill Pennsylvania’s judicial vacancies with qualified, experienced judges with unquestioned honesty, ability and integrity. I believe both these individuals meet those requirements.
“In her 21 years on the bench, Nitza Quiñones Alejandro has presided over many cases incorporating different facets of the law. In addition to her extensive experience in the courtroom, she has also remained active in her community through her work with schools and mentoring summer law interns. She is eminently qualified and a committed public servant. Moreover, I am proud that Judge Quiñones will be the first Latina judge to serve in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”
“Jeffrey Schmehl's colleagues appointed him president judge of the Berks County Court of Common Pleas in 2008, a sign of his fitness for the bench. He has also helped veterans in need of legal assistance by working to establish a veterans court in Berks County. He has a passion for the law and will be a dedicated jurist. I also am pleased that Judge Schmehl will be sitting in the Reading federal courthouse which has long needed a new judge.
“I am confident that Judges Quiñones and Schmehl will serve Pennsylvania well.”
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