Kristi Johnson

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Kristi Haskins Johnson
Image of Kristi Haskins Johnson

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

3

Education

Bachelor's

University of Mississippi, 2003

Law

Mississippi College School of Law, 2008

Personal
Birthplace
Oxford, Miss.
Profession
Attorney

Kristi Haskins Johnson is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) on May 4, 2020, and confirmed by a 53-43 vote of the U.S. Senate on November 17, 2020. She received her judicial commission on December 1, 2020. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 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.

Johnson was the solicitor general of Mississippi in 2020.[1]

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 4, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Johnson to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. She was confirmed by a 53-43 vote of the U.S. Senate on November 17, 2020. She received commission on December 1, 2020.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Kristi Haskins Johnson
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Progress
Confirmed 197 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 4, 2020
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: September 9, 2020
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: October 22, 2020 
ApprovedAConfirmed: November 17, 2020
ApprovedAVote: 53-43

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Johnson by a 53-43 vote on November 17, 2020.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Johnson confirmation vote (November 17, 2020)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 3 41 1
Ends.png Republican 50 0 3
Grey.png Independent 0 2 0
Total 53 43 4
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Johnson 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.[3]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[4]

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.[5] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Johnson had her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 9, 2020.[6] Johnson's nomination was reported to the full Senate on October 22, 2020, after a 12-0 committee vote. No Democratic committee members were present to advance her nomination.[7]

Nomination

On March 30, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Johnson to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.[8] The president officially submitted her nomination on May 4.[2]

Johnson was nominated to replace Judge Keith Starrett, who assumed senior status on April 30, 2019.[2]

Mississippi Sens. Roger Wicker (R) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) supported Johnson's nomination. Both senators emphasized that Johnson would be the first woman to serve as a federal judge for the Southern District of Mississippi.

  • Said Hyde-Smith: "Kristi Johnson’s legal and academic career indicate she will make an excellent U.S. District Court Judge. It was a pleasure to recommend a well-qualified Mississippian to be the first woman judge to serve in the Southern District."
  • Said Wicker: "Johnson is a well-respected litigator who has the qualifications, intellect, and experience necessary to serve with distinction. And, if confirmed, she would bring an important perspective to the bench as the first woman to serve as a federal judge for the Southern District."[9]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Johnson qualified for the position.[10] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Johnson was born in Oxford, Mississippi, in 1980. She obtained a B.A. from the University of Mississippi in 2003. She earned her J.D., summa cum laude, from the Mississippi College School of Law in 2008. During her legal studies, she served as an editor for the Mississippi College Law Review.[8][11]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2019:
    • Mississippi Distinguished Civilian Award
    • United States Attorney Daniel E. Lynn Award for Superior Litigation Service in Civil Litigation
  • 2018: Letter of appreciation, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • 2017: Letter of commendation, National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General[11]

Associations

  • 2018-present: Member, The Federalist Society
  • 2017-2019: Bencher, Charles L. Clark Chapter of the American Inns of Court
  • 2011-2012: Editorial board, Mississippi Defense Lawyer's Association
  • 2010-2014: Member, Jackson Young Lawyer's Association
  • 2008: Member, Mississippi Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
    • 2020: Vice-president
    • 2019: Treasurer
    • 2018: Secretary[11]

About the court

Southern District of Mississippi
Fifth Circuit
Southern District of Mississippi-seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Daniel Jordan
Active judges: Kristi Haskins Johnson, Daniel Jordan, Taylor McNeel, Halil Ozerden, Carlton W. Reeves, Henry Wingate

Senior judges:
David Bramlette, Louis Guirola, Tom Lee, Keith Starrett


The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based in downtown New Orleans at the John Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Southern District of Mississippi has six authorized judicial posts. The chief judge of the court is Daniel Jordan, who was appointed by George W. Bush (R). Two judges on the court were appointed by Donald Trump (R).

The Southern District of Mississippi has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Southern District of Mississippi consists of all the following counties in the southern part of the state of Mississippi.

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

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mage News, "AG Fitch Appoints MS’s First Solicitor General," February 25, 2020
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN1742 — Kristi Haskins Johnson — The Judiciary," accessed May 5, 2020
  3. ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  4. ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  5. ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  6. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Nominations," September 9, 2020
  7. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," October 22, 2020
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees," March 30, 2020
  9. ↑ Y'all Politics, "Wicker, Hyde-Smith Applaud Mississippi Judicial Nominations," March 30, 2020
  10. ↑ American Bar Association, "Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary: Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 116th Congress," accessed September 2, 2020
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees," accessed September 9, 2020

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
2020-Present		 Succeeded by
-


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