U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley was confirmed Wednesday to a lifetime judicial appointment in the Central District of Illinois on a largely party-line vote.
Hawley, who is based out of the Peoria federal courthouse, will be the newest district judge in the Central District of Illinois. He first joined the federal bench as a magistrate judge in 2014. Before that, he worked in the federal Public Defender's Office in the Central District of Illinois from 1999 to 2014. He also clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Michael McCuskey in the Central District.
The judge will be one of the final appointments by outgoing President Joe Biden confirmed to the bench. Hawley was confirmed on a 50-46 vote. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska was the only Republican to vote yes.
"We are pleased that the United States Senate has confirmed U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the Central District of Illinois," said U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth in a joint statement. "Judge Hawley was highly regarded by our screening committee and brings strong qualifications and a wealth of experience that will strengthen our federal bench."
Hawley will replace Judge James Shadid, who took senior status with the court in September.
Durbin has helped Biden confirm 215 judges since he took office, and said he wants to push through the president's remaining 15 pending lifetime federal judicial appointments during the lame duck session.
"There is no time to waste. The Senate must confirm every one of these highly qualified, diverse nominees before the sun sets on the 118th Congress," Durbin said Wednesday.
Durbin will be the chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee until January, when a new Republican majority is ushered in.
