The U.S. Senate has confirmed the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. District Court of Oregon Wednesday.
Judge Adrienne C. Nelson was approved in the Senate in a 52-46 vote and was praised for her “legal acumen and a commitment to justice for all,” said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon while speaking in support of Nelson’s confirmation.
Nelson served as a coordinator of Student Legal and Mediation Services from 2004 to 2006 at Portland State University and was appointed a Circuit Court judge shortly after at age 39. She is also the recipient of the Multnomah Bar Association’s Award of Merit and the Oregon State Bar’s Diversity and Inclusion Award.
“Justice Nelson’s colleagues in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon could not be more pleased to welcome her to the federal court family,” U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez said in a statement obtained by Oregon Live. “Justice Nelson’s exemplary character, deep expertise, and extraordinary example of service reflect the very best values of the judiciary. We look forward to welcoming Justice Nelson and serving alongside her. This is a tremendous day for Oregon.”
Republican Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska joined with Democrats to support Nelson.
Both Wyden and Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley said they are confident Nelson will make a significant contribution on the federal bench and emphasized that she is
“an extremely qualified Oregonian who brings her powerful combination of comprehensive legal experience and commitment to justice for all.”
Of the 100 judges President Biden has nominated, 76 have been women and 68 have been people of color, according to his administration.
“The more our judges reflect our nation’s vibrancy and diversity, the more effective they will be in administering equal justice,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “The more Americans look at our courts and see people who look like them and come from their backgrounds and share similar experiences, the better off our judicial system will be.”
