Robert S. Ballou Explained

Robert S. Ballou
Office:Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Term Start:March 9, 2023
Appointer:Joe Biden
Predecessor:James Parker Jones
Office1:Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Term Start1:2011
Term End1:March 9, 2023
Birth Name:Robert Stewart Ballou
Birth Place:Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.
Education:University of Virginia (BA, JD)

Robert Stewart Ballou (born 1962)[1] is an American lawyer serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. He previously served as a United States magistrate judge for the same court.

Education

Ballou earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 1984 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1987.[2]

Career

From 1987 to 1988, Ballou served as a law clerk for Judge Peter Beer of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. From 1988 to 1991, he worked as an associate at Christian, Barton, Epps, Brent & Chappell in Richmond, Virginia.[3] From 1992 to 2011, he was a partner at Johnson, Ayers & Matthews in Roanoke, Virginia.[4] In private practice, Ballou specialized in civil litigation, but sometimes accepted personal injury cases.[3]

Federal judicial service

Ballou served as a United States magistrate judge from 2011 to 2023.[2] [5]

In August 2021, Ballou was one of two candidates recommended to the president by U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.[6] On July 13, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Ballou to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. President Biden nominated Ballou to the seat vacated by Judge James Parker Jones, who assumed senior status on August 30, 2021.[7] Ballou's nomination is supported by Senators Warner and Kaine.[8] On November 15, 2022, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[9] On December 8, 2022, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–6 vote.[10] On January 3, 2023, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. He was renominated on January 23, 2023.[11] On February 9, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–5 vote.[12] On March 6, 2023, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 59–35 vote.[13] On March 7, 2023, his nomination was confirmed by a 59–37 vote.[14] He received his judicial commission on March 9, 2023.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees. November 15, 2022. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
  2. President Biden Names Twenty-Second Round of Judicial Nominees . July 13, 2022 . The White House . Washington, D.C. . July 13, 2022.
  3. Web site: Judge Robert Ballou – Nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. 29 August 2022.
  4. Web site: Vieth . Peter . 2011-09-20 . Ballou named federal magistrate judge Virginia Lawyers Weekly . 2022-07-13 . en-US.
  5. Web site: Hammack. Laurence. Robert Ballou and Juval Scott in the running for a federal judgeship. July 14, 2022. Roanoke Times. 9 August 2021 . en.
  6. Warner & Kaine Recommend Two for Vacancy on U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. August 9, 2021. August 3, 2022.
  7. Nominations Sent to the Senate. July 13, 2022. The White House. Washington, D.C..
  8. Statement of U.S. Sens., Mark R. Warner & Tim Kaine on Nominations of Robert Ballou for the Western District of Virginia and Jamar Walker for the Eastern District of Virginia. July 13, 2022. August 3, 2022.
  9. Web site: Nominations. November 15, 2022. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Washington, D.C..
  10. Web site: Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 8, 2022. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. December 8, 2022.
  11. Nominations Sent to the Senate . January 23, 2023 . The White House . Washington, D.C. .
  12. Web site: Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 9, 2023. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. February 9, 2023.
  13. Web site: March 6, 2023. On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Robert Stewart Ballou to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia). March 6, 2023. United States Senate.
  14. Web site: March 7, 2023. On the Nomination (Confirmation: Robert Stewart Ballou, of Virginia, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Virginia). March 7, 2023. United States Senate.

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