Bernard Jones (Oklahoma)
2019 - Present
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Bernard M. Jones is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on October 17, 2019, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 91-3.[1][2] He received commission on December 31, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Jones was a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma from 2015 to 2019.[4]
Prior to joining the federal court as a magistrate judge, Jones was a judge for the Seventh District Court in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. He was appointed to this position in September 2012 by Governor Mary Fallin to replace Judge Tammy Bass LeSure.[5] He was re-elected in 2014 after running unopposed. His term would have expired on January 13, 2019.[6]
Although federal judgeships are officially nonpartisan, Jones is a registered Republican.[7]
Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma (2019-present)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On October 17, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Jones to an Article III seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The United States Senate confirmed Jones on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 91-3.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Bernard Jones |
| Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 63 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: October 17, 2019
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: October 30, 2019
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: November 21, 2019
|
| Confirmed: December 19, 2019
|
| Vote: 91-3
|
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Jones on December 19, 2019, on a vote of 91-3.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
| Jones confirmation vote (December 19, 2019) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
 Democratic |
38 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
 Republican |
52 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
 Independent |
1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 91 | 3 | 6 | ||||||
Change in Senate rules
Jones was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.
On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[8]
The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[9]
It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[10] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
Jones had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 30, 2019.[11] The committee voted 19-3 on November 21, 2019, to advance Jones' nomination to the full Senate.[12]
Nomination
On October 2, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Jones to an Article III seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.[13] The president officially nominated Jones on October 17, 2019.[1]
Jones was nominated to replace Judge Joe Heaton, who assumed senior status July 1, 2019.[7]
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) of Oklahoma said of the nomination, "Jones is a dedicated jurist who will continue to serve our nation and the people of Oklahoma well. I commend the president on this nomination and urge my colleagues in the Senate to confirm him swiftly."[7]
Sen. James Lankford (R) of Oklahoma also supported Jones' nomination: "Having served as a Magistrate Judge for the last four years, Judge Jones is well qualified to step into this role. There should be no hesitation by my colleagues to confirm Judge Jones in a timely manner, and I am grateful he is willing to take on this responsibility to serve our state and nation."[14]
The American Bar Association unanimously rated Jones well qualified for the position.[15] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, magistrate (2015-2019)
Jones was appointed as a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on July 31, 2015. His formal investiture was held on August 17, 2015. He was the first African-American in Oklahoma to serve in this role.[16] He left office in 2019 after becoming an Article III judge on the court.
Oklahoma 7th District Court (2012-2015)
- See also: Judges appointed by Mary Fallin
Jones was a judge for the Seventh District Court in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. He was appointed to this position in September 2012 by Governor Mary Fallin (R) to replace Judge Tammy Bass LeSure.[5]
Jones was re-elected in 2014 after running unopposed.[6]
2014 election
- See also: Oklahoma judicial elections, 2014
Jones ran for re-election to the 7th District Court. As an unopposed candidate, he was automatically re-elected without appearing on the ballot.[6]
Early life and education
Jones was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1979. He received his B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 2001 and his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame in 2004.[17]
Professional career
- 2015-present: United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- 2019-present: Article III judge
- 2015-2019: Federal magistrate judge
- 2012-2015: Judge, Oklahoma District 7
- 2012: Attorney, Bernard M. Jones, Esq.
- 2008-2012: Oklahoma City University School of Law
- 2010-2012: Associate dean for admissions & external affairs
- 2008-2010: Assistant dean for admissions
- 2006-2008: Associate, McAfee & Taft
- 2004-2006: Associate, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur, LLP[17]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2016: Oklahoma Bar Association Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Diversity Award
- 2016: Langston University Distinguished Service Award
- 2014: Metropolitan Better Living Center Service Award
- 2014: Boy Scouts of America Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award
- 2014: John A. Reed, Jr., Community Service Award
- 2013: Northeast Resource Center, Inc. Community Service Award
- 2012: OCU Law Black Law Students' Association Service Award
- 2012: Southern Methodist University Afircan American History Maker Award
- 2010: Association of Black Lawyers Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher Diversity Award[17]
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Federal Magistrate Judges Association
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Oklahoma City Association of Black Lawyers
- Oklahoma County Bar Association
- Oklahoma Lawyers for Children
- Western District of Oklahoma Historical Society
- William J. Holloway, Jr. American Inn of Court[17]
About the court
| Western District of Oklahoma |
|---|
| Tenth Circuit |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 7 |
| Judges: 7 |
| Vacancies: 0 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Timothy DeGiusti |
| Active judges: Timothy DeGiusti, Jodi Dishman, Charles B. Goodwin, John Heil III, Bernard Jones, Scott Palk, Patrick Wyrick Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma is one of 94 United States district courts. It operates out of a courthouse in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit based in Denver, Colorado at the Byron White Federal Courthouse.
The Western District of Oklahoma was established by Congress on June 16, 1906, with one post each for the Western and the Eastern districts. Over time, six additional judicial posts were added for a total of seven current posts.[18]
The Western District of Oklahoma has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. The jurisdiction of the Western District of Oklahoma consists of all the counties in the western part of the state of Oklahoma. Click here to read more about the court’s jurisdiction.
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
The federal nomination process
Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:
- The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
- The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
- As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
- After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
- If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
- If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
- The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
- If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
- If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.
See also
- United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
- Oklahoma District Courts
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
- United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congress.gov, "PN1238 — Bernard Maurice Jones II — The Judiciary," accessed October 21, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Congress.gov, "PN1238 — Bernard Maurice Jones II — The Judiciary," accessed December 19, 2019
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Jones, Bernard Maurice II," accessed January 1, 2020
- ↑ United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, "Magistrate Judge Bernard M. Jones," accessed August 31, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gov. Mary Fallin's Office, "Press Release: Gov. Fallin appoints Bernard Jones to Oklahoma County judicial post," September 17, 2012
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Oklahoma State Election Board, "Candidates for State Elective Office 2014"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Oklahoman, "Trump to nominate magistrate for judgeship," October 4, 2019
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
- ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
- ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Nominations," October 30, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," November 21, 2019
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees," October 2, 2019
- ↑ James Lankford, United States Senator for Oklahoma, "Lankford, Inhofe Applaud Nomination of Oklahoma City Judge," October 3, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed October 30, 2019
- ↑ Langston University, "Judge Bernard M. Jones to deliver 2016 Ira D. Hall and Rubye Hibler Hall Endowed Lecture Series," accessed October 4, 2019
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Bernard Maurice Jones, II," accessed October 30, 2019
- ↑ FJC.gov, "Federal Judicial History," accessed August 14, 2019
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma 2015-2019 |
Succeeded by - |
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| 2020 |
Lawrence VanDyke • Daniel Traynor • John Kness • Joshua Kindred • Philip Halpern • Silvia Carreno-Coll • Scott Rash • John Heil • Anna Manasco • John L. Badalamenti • Drew Tipton • Andrew Brasher • Cory Wilson • Scott Hardy • David Joseph • Matthew Schelp • John Cronan • Justin Walker • Brett H. Ludwig • Christy Wiegand • Thomas Cullen • Diane Gujarati • Stanley Blumenfeld • Mark Scarsi • John Holcomb • Stephen P. McGlynn • Todd Robinson • Hala Jarbou • David Dugan • Iain D. Johnston • Franklin U. Valderrama • John Hinderaker • Roderick Young • Michael Newman • Aileen Cannon • James Knepp • Kathryn Kimball Mizelle • Benjamin Beaton • Kristi Johnson • Toby Crouse • Philip Calabrese • Taylor McNeel • Thomas Kirsch • Stephen Vaden • Katherine Crytzer • Fernando Aenlle-Rocha • Charles Atchley • Joseph Dawson | ||
Federal courts:
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Oklahoma, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma
State courts:
Oklahoma Supreme Court • Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals • Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals • Oklahoma District Courts • Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims
State resources:
Courts in Oklahoma • Oklahoma judicial elections • Judicial selection in Oklahoma
