Kenia Seoane Lopez Explained

Kenia Seoane Lopez
Office:	Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Term Start:	February 25, 2022
Appointer:	Joe Biden
Predecessor:	Ronna Lee Beck
Office1:	Magistrate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Term Start1:	July 2012
Term End1:	February 25, 2022
Birth Date:	14 January 1974^[1]
Birth Place:	Palma Soriano, Santiago de Cuba Province, Cuba
Education:	Northeastern University (BS) University of Wisconsin–Madison (MA, JD)

Kenia Seoane Lopez (born January 14, 1974) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia since 2022. She previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court from 2012 to 2022.

Early life and education

Lopez was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba and moved to the United States before her 10th birthday.^[2] Lopez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Northeastern University in 1997, a Master of Arts in Latin American, Caribbean, and Iberian studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2002.^[3]

Career

After law school, Lopez was a clerk for the Massachusetts Superior Court. She then joined office of the attorney general for the District of Columbia, working in the legal services division of the child support department. She later served as a bilingual attorney negotiator in the domestic violence division of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She was appointed as a magistrate judge of the Superior Court in 2012.

In June 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Lopez as a judge of the Superior Court.^{[4] [5]} On September 14, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.^[6] On October 6, 2021, her nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.^[7] On February 1, 2022, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 59–38 vote.^[8] On February 2, 2022, she was confirmed by a 59–38 vote.^[9] She was sworn in on February 25, 2022.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: September 14, 2021 . Questionnaire for Nominees to the District of Columbia Courts . December 9, 2022 . United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs . 95.
2. Web site: September 14, 2021 . Opening Statement of Kenia Seoane López Nominee to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Superior Court . October 14, 2021 . United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
3. Web site: June 15, 2021. President Biden Announces 4th Slate of Judicial Nominations. June 15, 2021. The White House. en-US.
4. Web site: Kenia Seoane Lopez jnc. June 15, 2021. jnc.dc.gov.
5. News: Hulse. Carl. June 15, 2021. A leading voting rights expert is among Biden's new round of judicial nominees.. en-US. The New York Times. June 15, 2021. 0362-4331.
6. Nominations of Tovah R. Calderon to be an Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and Kenia Seoane Lopez, Rupa R. Puttagunta, and Sean C. Staples to be Associate Judges, Superior Court of the District of Columbia . September 14, 2021 . . Washington, D.C. .
7. Web site: Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Record. United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. October 6, 2021. October 21, 2021.
8. Web site: February 2, 2022 . On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Kenia Seoane Lopez to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia) . February 3, 2022 . United States Senate . Washington, D.C..
9. Web site: February 2, 2022 . On the Nomination (Confirmation: Kenia Seoane Lopez, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia) . February 3, 2022 . United States Senate . Washington, D.C..
10. Web site: February 25, 2022 . Five New Judges Take Their Place on the Bench in DC Superior Court . March 1, 2022 . DC Courts.