T. Kent Wetherell II

Wetherell was born on August 26, 1970, in Daytona Beach, Florida to a politically active family.{{Cite web |url=http://www.1dca.org/judges/wetherell.html |title=Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II |publisher=Florida First District Court of Appeal |access-date=April 26, 2018}} He earned his Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude, from Florida State University and his Juris Doctor, with high honors, from the Florida State University College of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as an articles editor of the Florida State University Law Review.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-thirteenth-wave-judicial-nominees-seventh-wave-united-states-marshal-nominees/ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Thirteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees and Seventh Wave of United States Marshal Nominees, White House, April 26, 2018] {{PD-notice}}

Wetherell spent four years in private practice at the Tallahassee firm Hopping Green Sams & Smith, where his practice focused on representing landowners and real estate developers on land use matters before local governments and state agencies and representing corporate clients in administrative rule challenge and bid protest hearings. Before becoming a judge, he served for two years in the Office of the Florida Attorney General as Deputy Solicitor General.

Wetherell served for seven years as an Administrative Law Judge of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, where he heard a wide variety of cases, involving rule challenges, bid protests, hospital certificates of need, environmental permit challenges, employment discrimination claims, and professional license disputes.

He was appointed a Judge of the Florida First District Court of Appeal by Florida Governor Charlie Crist and took office on October 1, 2009. His service on the state court terminated when he was appointed a federal district judge.

On April 26, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Wetherell to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. On May 7, 2018, his nomination was sent to the Senate. He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge John Richard Smoak Jr., who assumed senior status on December 31, 2015.[https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/fifteen-nominations-sent-senate-today-2/ "Fifteen Nominations Sent to the Senate Today" White House, May 7, 2018] On October 17, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/10/17/2018/nominations United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for October 17, 2018]

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, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Wetherell 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 an 18–4 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 July 9, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by an 82–16 vote.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00192 On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: T. Kent Wetherell II to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), United States Senate, July 9, 2019] On July 10, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 78–15 vote.[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00195 On the Nomination (Confirmation T. Kent Wetherell II, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), United States Senate, July 10, 2019] He received his judicial commission on July 12, 2019.{{FJC Bio|nid=6731081|inline=yes}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{FJC Bio|nid=6731081}}
• {{Ballotpedia|T._Kent_Wetherell|T. Kent Wetherell}}
• [http://www.1dca.org/judges/wetherell.html Official Biography on Florida First District Court of Appeal website]

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Category:1970 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:American accountants

Category:Florida lawyers

Category:Florida State University alumni

Category:Florida State University 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:People from Daytona Beach, Florida

Category:United States district court judges appointed by Donald Trump