Andre Mathis

{{Infobox judge

| name = Andre Mathis

| image = Andre_Mathis_Judiciary_Committee.png

| office = Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

| term_start = September 27, 2022

| term_end =

| appointer = Joe Biden

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1980}}{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mathis%20SJQ%20Public%20Final1.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=January 11, 2022}}

| birth_place = Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| party =

| spouse =

| residence =

| education = University of Memphis (BA, JD)

}}

Andre Bernard Mathis{{cite web|url=https://www.martindale.com/attorney/andre-b-bernard-mathis-16167232/|title=Andre B. Bernard Mathis Profile | Memphis, TN Lawyer |website=Martindale.com|access-date=November 23, 2021}} (born 1980){{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Mathis%20SJQ%20Public%20Final1.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=January 11, 2022}} is an American lawyer who is serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Education

Mathis earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Memphis in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2007.{{cite web|title=Celebrate Pro Bono Week: An Attorney's Perspective|url=https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/celebrate-pro-bono-week-an-attorney-s-4693985/|access-date=November 17, 2021|website=Jdsupra.com|language=en}}

Career

After graduating from law school, Mathis joined the Memphis law firm of Glankler Brown as an associate. He worked in criminal defense as a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel{{cite web | url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/social-justice/senate-confirms-bidens-longest-standing-circuit-court-nominee | title=Biden's Longest Standing Circuit Court Nominee Confirmed (1) }} for the Western District of Tennessee and with the Tennessee Innocence Project.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sixthcircuitappellateblog.com/judicial-appointments-and-vacancies/president-biden-nominates-andre-b-mathis-to-the-sixth-circuit/|title=President Biden Nominates Andre B. Mathis to the Sixth Circuit|date=November 18, 2021|website=Sixthcircuitappellateblog.com|access-date=January 15, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.natlawreview.com/article/president-biden-nominates-andre-b-mathis-to-sixth-circuit|title=President Biden Nominates Andre B. Mathis to the Sixth Circuit|website=Natlawreview.com|access-date=January 15, 2022}} He served as a member of the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee from 2010 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2020. He was also a member of the Federal Defender Evaluation Committee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 2012 to 2013.{{cite web|date=November 17, 2021|title=President Biden Names Tenth Round of Judicial Nominees|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/17/president-biden-names-tenth-round-of-judicial-nominees/|access-date=November 17, 2021|website=The White House|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|last=Raymond|first=Nate|date=November 17, 2021|title=Biden nominates Ghislaine Maxwell's judge, Memphis litigator to appeals courts|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/biden-nominates-ghislaine-maxwells-judge-memphis-litigator-appeals-courts-2021-11-17/|access-date=November 17, 2021}}{{cite web|date=November 17, 2021|title=President Biden Nominates First Judge in Double-Red State|url=https://reason.com/volokh/2021/11/17/president-biden-nominates-first-judge-in-double-red-state/|access-date=November 17, 2021|website=Reason.com|language=en-US}} He served on the Disciplinary Hearing Committee of the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility from 2015 to 2021 and on the Shelby County Ethics Commission from 2013 to 2017.

In January 2020, Mathis joined the Memphis office of Butler Snow LLP.{{Cite web|url=https://www.butlersnow.com/2020/01/andre-b-mathis-joins-butler-snows-memphis-tenn-office/|title=Andre B. Mathis Joins Butler Snow's Memphis, Tenn. Office|date=January 28, 2020|website=Butlersnow.com|access-date=January 15, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.butlersnow.com/attorney/andre-mathis/|title=Andre B. Mathis|website=Butlersnow.com|access-date=January 15, 2022}}

= Federal judicial service =

On November 17, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Mathis to serve as a United States circuit judge for the Sixth Circuit; his nomination was sent to the Senate the following day. President Biden nominated Mathis to the seat vacated by Judge Bernice B. Donald, who announced her intent to assume senior status upon confirmation of her successor.{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=November 18, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/three-nominations-sent-senate-9/ |access-date=November 24, 2021 |archive-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118172049/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/three-nominations-sent-senate-9/ |url-status=dead }} {{PD-notice}} The nomination drew controversy, as both senators from Tennessee had declined to return favorable blue slips and said that the White House had not consulted with them.{{cite web | url=https://www.courthousenews.com/three-judicial-nominees-make-it-through-blue-slip-debacle-and-out-of-committee/ | title=Three judicial nominees make it through blue-slip debacle and out of committee }} On January 3, 2022, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate;{{cite web |date=January 3, 2022 |title=PN1423 - Nomination of Andre B. Mathis for The Judiciary, 117th Congress (2021-2022) |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/1423 |access-date=January 4, 2022 |website=Congress.gov}} he was renominated later the same day.{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=January 3, 2022 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/01/03/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-53/}} {{PD-notice}}

On January 12, 2022, a contentious hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.{{cite web |title=Nominations |date=January 11, 2022 |publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/01/05/2022/nominations}} During the hearing, Senator Marsha Blackburn complained that not only had she not turned in a blue slip, but that she had never been sent a blue slip asking whether she supported the nomination, something that had never happened before. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin conceded that this was a serious mistake and apologized, but said that Mathis was personally blameless for the oversight.{{cite web | url=https://www.courthousenews.com/after-the-blue-slip-burned-with-trump-in-office-biden-era-republicans-feel-its-absence/ | title=After the blue slip burned with Trump in office, Biden-era Republicans feel its absence }} Blackburn then said she had "serious concerns" about Mathis' lack of experience in federal law and referenced his "rap sheet" due in part to three previous speeding tickets that he didn't respond to.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dick-durbin-biden-judicial-nominees-blue-slips_n_61df1cc6e4b0a2670288219f|title=Dick Durbin To GOP: Our Turn To Confirm Judicial Nominees Without Your Consent|date=January 12, 2022|website=HuffPost}} She stated, "He has a rap sheet with a laundry list of citations, including multiple failures to appear in court. In Tennessee, we expect our judges to respect the law. If Mr. Mathis thought he was above the law before, imagine how he'll conduct himself if he's confirmed as a federal judge."{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marsha-blackburn-andre-mathis-black-judge-rap-sheet_n_61df1ec2e4b0603631b3d9a0|title=Marsha Blackburn Criticizes Black Judicial Nominee's 'Rap Sheet' Of Speeding Tickets|date=January 12, 2022|website=HuffPost}} Blackburn and fellow senator Bill Hagerty had recommended an alternative pick, Camille McMullen, a Democratic appointee to the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals who is also Black.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/biden-judicial-nominee-grilled-amid-objections-by-gop-home-state-senators-2022-01-12/|title=Biden judicial nominee grilled amid objections by GOP home state senators|first1=Nate|last1=Raymond|date=January 12, 2022|access-date=January 15, 2022|website=Reuters.com}}

On February 10, 2022, his nomination was favorably reported by the committee by a 12–10 vote.{{cite news |last1=Raymond |first1=Nate |title=U.S. Senate panel advances first Biden appellate pick using Trump-era strategy |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-senate-panel-advances-first-biden-appellate-pick-using-trump-era-strategy-2022-02-10/ |website=Reuters |date=February 10, 2022 |access-date=February 12, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/EBM%20Results%20-%202022-02-10.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 10, 2022|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=February 24, 2022}} On August 7, 2022, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture on his nomination.{{Cite web |title=PN1502 — Andre B. Mathis — The Judiciary |url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/117th-congress/1502 |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=Congress.gov}} On September 7, 2022, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 48–45 vote.{{Cite web|url= https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00328.htm|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Andre B. Mathis to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit)|date=September 7, 2022|website=United States Senate|access-date=September 7, 2022}} On September 8, 2022, his nomination was confirmed by a 48–47 vote.{{Cite web|url= https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00329.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Andre B. Mathis, of Tennessee, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit)|date=September 8, 2022|website=United States Senate|access-date=September 8, 2022}}{{cite news|last1=Raymond|first1=Nate |title=U.S. Senate confirms Biden appellate judge pick opposed by home state senators|url= https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-senate-confirms-biden-appellate-judge-pick-opposed-by-home-state-senators-2022-09-08/|website=Reuters |date=September 8, 2022|access-date=September 8, 2022}} Senator John Kennedy broke ranks with his Republican colleagues to help confirm Mathis, the first Black man to be confirmed to any federal circuit court in 3,160 days since Robert L. Wilkins was confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on January 13, 2014.{{cite news |last1=Vu |first1=Nancy|title= Here's something you don't see every day: A Republican gave a Joe Biden judicial nominee the one vote he needed to pass the Senate. |url= https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/09-8-2022/kennedys-nomination-vote/|website=Politico|date=September 8, 2022 |access-date=September 9, 2022}} He received his judicial commission on September 27, 2022.{{FJC Bio|nid=12588661|inline=yes}}