Jane M. Beckering
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Assumed office
December 21, 2021
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byJanet T. Neff
Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals
In office
September 10, 2007 – December 21, 2021
Appointed byJennifer Granholm
Preceded byJanet T. Neff
Succeeded byChristopher P. Yates
Personal details
Born
Jane Marie Buchanan

1965 (age 58–59)
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Michigan (BA)
University of Wisconsin (JD)

Jane Marie Beckering (née Jane Marie Buchanan, born 1965)[1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. She served as a judge of the 3rd District of the Michigan Court of Appeals from 2007 to 2021.

Education

Beckering her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 1987 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1990.[2][3]

Legal career

Beckering started her career at McDermott, Will & Emery, LLP, in Chicago, Illinois, then returned to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later founded the law firm of Buchanan & Beckering, PLC.[2] She was a lawyer for 17 years, first in Chicago and then in Grand Rapids before she became a judge in 2007.

In 2006 as a lawyer Beckering sought the Democratic nomination[a] for the Michigan Supreme Court. She made it to the general election ballot but placed a distant third behind incumbents Maura Corrigan and Michael Cavanagh.

Judicial career

State court service

Beckering was appointed a Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals by Governor Jennifer Granholm to replace Judge Janet T. Neff, who was appointed as a federal district court judge. She took office on September 10, 2007.[4] Beckering is vice president of the Grand Rapids Bar Association, with a term set to expire on January 1, 2025.[2][5] Her service terminated upon her elevation as a federal judge.

Federal judicial service

On June 30, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Beckering to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan.[2] On July 13, 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Beckering to the seat vacated by Judge Janet T. Neff, who assumed senior status on March 1, 2021.[6] A hearing on her nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to take place on August 11, 2021, but was postponed.[7] On October 6, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8] On October 28, 2021, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12-9–1 vote.[9] On December 17, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 46–24 vote.[10] Her nomination was confirmed later that day by a 45–25 vote.[11] She received her judicial commission on December 21, 2021.[12]

Notes

  1. ^ In Michigan, judicial elections are nonpartisan but candidates are nominated by political parties.

References

  1. ^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "President Biden Names Fifth Round of Judicial Nominees", White House, June 30, 2021 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "Jane M. Beckering Judge Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  4. ^ Czurak, David (September 10, 2007). "Beckering Takes A Seat". Grand Rapids Business Journal. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  5. ^ "COA Third District Judges". courts.michigan.gov. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
  6. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, July 13, 2021
  7. ^ "Nominations: Wednesday, August 11, 2021". www.judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  8. ^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. October 6, 2021.
  9. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – October 28, 2021" (PDF). www.judiciary.senate.gov. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  10. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Jane M. Beckering to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan)". United States Senate. December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  11. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Jane M. Beckering, of Michigan, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan)". United States Senate. December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  12. ^ Jane M. Beckering at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links

Legal offices Preceded byJanet T. Neff Judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals 2007–2021 Vacant Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan 2021–present Incumbent
Active district judges of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
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