Hope Native Judge Doris L. Pryor Nominated To Serve As U.S. Circuit Judge For U.S. Court of Appeals
By AFJ/Wikipedia, 08/15/22 8:05 PM
Judge Doris L. Pryor was born in Hope, Arkansas in 1977 to parents James and Linda Clark. She has a family history of public service, as her mother works for Hope Public Schools and her grandmother, Doris Brown, is a Justice on the local Quorum Court — a legislative body of county governments in Arkansas. Judge Pryor was an honor student in her time at Hope High School in the early 1990s and returns to Hope regularly to stay connected to her roots. She earned her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Central Arkansas in 1999, then obtained her law degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2003. During law school, Judge Pryor was a member of the editorial staff of the Federal Communications Journal and won top oralist at the Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition.
Legal Experience
Following law school, Judge Pryor served as a law clerk for two federal judges in Arkansas: Chief Judge Lavenski R. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit from 2003 to 2004 and Judge J. Leon Holmes of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas from 2004 to 2005. Both judges were appointed by President George W. Bush.
From 2005 to 2006, Judge Pryor was a Deputy Public Defender in the State of Arkansas Public Defender’s Commission, playing a crucial role in protecting the constitutional and civil rights of criminal defendants who could not afford an attorney. She handled an average of 75 cases at a time, including criminal cases, juvenile cases, and cases involving mental health guardianships. If confirmed to the Seventh Circuit, Judge Pryor would be just the second former public defender on the court.
In addition to her public defense experience, Judge Pryor spent 12 years as a federal prosecutor, providing her with a diverse and varied perspective. In 2006, she joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. After eight years, she became the District’s National Security Chief, where she prosecuted individuals threatening the country’s national security. Judge Pryor worked closely with the DOJ National Security Division and several DOJ components on domestic terrorism, international terrorism, counterespionage, and terrorism financing matters. For example, in United States v. Musleh, Judge Pryor was part of the team that prosecuted a United States citizen for attempting to provide material support and resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations. She served as lead counsel, managing pre-trial discovery and written work products, while also appearing in court on behalf of the United States. Judge Pryor’s experiences as a public defender and federal prosecutor provided her with substantial federal court and appellate experience. She tried eight cases to verdict, including seven in federal court, and briefed and argued seven federal appeals.
Judicial Experience
On November 17, 2017, Judge Pryor was selected to serve as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Indiana. Her appointment enjoyed support from the then presiding Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Judge Jane E. Magnus-Stinson. Judge Pryor has served in this capacity since March 1, 2018.
As a U.S. Magistrate Judge for more than four years, Judge Pryor has presided over a wide array of cases and hundreds of settlement matters. Out of the hundreds of reports and recommendations she has issued, a district court judge has only sustained an objection on two occasions
On May 25, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Judge Pryor to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.[3] President Biden nominated Pryor to the seat to be vacated by Judge David F. Hamilton, who will take senior status upon confirmation of his successor.[7] Senator Todd Young announced in a statement his support of Pryor’s nomination right after President Biden nominated her.[8] On July 13, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[9] She is the first Biden appellate court nominee to receive support from a state’s two GOP senators.[10] On August 4, 2022, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 13-9 vote.[11][12] Her nomination is pending before the United States Senate.
