Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl

Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Returned to President January 3, 2017

President Obama nominated Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl of North Dakota to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on January 28, 2016. The United States Courts have designated the seat she would fill as one of a growing number of judicial emergency vacancies.

Home-State Sens. Hoeven (R-ND) and Heitkamp (D-ND) both submitted blue slips, and at her June 21, 2016 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, they introduced her and encouraged the committee to recommend her for confirmation to the 8th Circuit.

On July 14, the Senate Judiciary Committee sent her nomination to the Floor on a voice vote with no opposition or debate.

Before Puhl was nominated a North Dakota Editorial Board weighed in:

Forum editorial: Still no nominee for circuit (Forum of Fargo-Moorhead [ND], 01/05/16)
"Judge Kermit Bye of Fargo announced more than a year ago he would take senior status on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. He did so early in 2015. Yet, there still is no nominee to fill his position. ... The process is taking longer than it should.... In the 125-year history of North Dakota, no woman has served as judge on the federal district court or federal circuit court. ... The bar has changed a lot during that time. ... North Dakota, the senators and the president could make history by speeding the nomination of a qualified woman."

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