Allen Winsor

Winsor received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as editor-in-chief of the Florida Law Review.{{FJC Bio|nid=6631561|inline=yes}}

After law school, Winsor served as a law clerk to Judge Edward Earl Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. From 2003 to 2005, he was an associate at King & Spalding. He later was a partner in the Tallahassee office of Gray Robinson, where he focused on civil and appellate litigation.

He then joined the Florida Attorney General's office and served for three years as Solicitor General of Florida, under A.G. Pam Bondi.{{cite web |url=http://www.1dca.org/judges/winsor.html |title=Judge Allen Winsor |last= |first= |date= |website=Florida First District Court of Appeal |publisher= |access-date=April 10, 2018 |quote=}}

In that position, he defended Florida's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages that was eventually struck down, contending in a legal brief for Florida that recognizing same-sex marriages from other states would ostensibly "impose significant public harm" and that Florida possessed a legitimate interest in restricting marriage as exclusively between men and women.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

In 2016, Governor Rick Scott appointed him to the Florida First District Court of Appeal, where he served until being appointed to the federal district court by President Donald Trump.{{cite web |url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-twelfth-wave-judicial-nominees-twelfth-wave-united-states-attorneys-sixth-wave-united-states-marshals/ |title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Twelfth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Twelfth Wave of United States Attorneys, and Sixth Wave of United States Marshals |last= |first= |date=April 10, 2018 |access-date=April 10, 2018 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |quote=}} {{PD-notice}}

Ashley Schapitl, a spokeswoman for California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, said Feinstein voted in opposition to Winsor's confirmation because of his role "defending laws that would restrict women's reproductive rights and the prohibition of same-sex marriage." She further mentioned that Winsor assisted Florida in joining an action contesting power plant emissions rules written by the Obama administration.

On April 10, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Winsor to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge Robert Hinkle, who assumed senior status on November 7, 2016.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/ten-nominations-sent-senate-today-2/ "Ten Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", The White House, April 10, 2018] On May 23, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/05/23/2018/nominations United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for May 23, 2018] On June 14, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 vote.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting%2006-14-18.pdf Results of Executive Business Meeting – June 14, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee] Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida supported his nomination.[https://apnews.com/article/823ca7c117f54a1fb5b0ab21713079d7 Democrats oppose Florida judge despite backing from Nelson], Associated Press, Gary Fineout, June 14, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2024.

On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, Trump announced his intent to renominate Winsor for a federal judgeship.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-judicial-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019] His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/nominations-sent-senate-2/ "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019] On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/02.07.2019%20Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting1.pdf Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee] On June 18, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 54–42 vote.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00169 On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Allen Cothrel Winsor to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), United States Senate, June 18, 2019] On June 19, 2019, he was confirmed by a 54–44 vote, with Democrat Joe Manchin voting for him.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1161/vote_116_1_00173.htm On the Nomination (Confirmation Allen Cothrel Winsor, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), June 19, 2019] He received his judicial commission on June 21, 2019.

He has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2005.

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{FJC Bio|nid=6631561}}
• [https://www.oyez.org/advocates/allen_winsor Appearances at the U.S. Supreme Court] from the Oyez Project
• {{Ballotpedia|Allen_Winsor|Allen Winsor}}
• {{LittleSisPeople}}

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Category:1976 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:Auburn University alumni

Category:Florida Republicans

Category:Florida State University faculty

Category:Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni

Category:Judges of the Florida District Courts of Appeal

Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida

Category:Lawyers from Orlando, Florida

Category:Solicitors general of Florida

Category:United States district court judges appointed by Donald Trump