Matthew J. Kacsmaryk

Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk (born 1977) is an American attorney who serves as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Matthew J. Kacsmaryk
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Incumbent
Assumed office June 21, 2019
Appointed by	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Mary Lou Robinson
Personal details
Born	1977 (age 42–43) Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Education	Abilene Christian University (BA) University of Texas School of Law (JD)

Biography

Kacsmaryk received his Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from Abilene Christian University in 1999 and his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 2003.[1]

From 2003 to 2008, he was an associate in the Dallas office of Baker Botts, where he focused on commercial, constitutional, and intellectual property litigation. From 2008 through 2013, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, where he was lead counsel in over 75 criminal appeals and co-counsel in high-profile criminal and terrorism trials.[1] He played a role in securing the conviction of Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari.[2] He formerly served as Deputy General Counsel to First Liberty Institute, a conservative religious freedom legal advocacy group.[3]

Federal judicial service

On September 7, 2017, President Trump nominated Kacsmaryk to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, to the seat vacated by Judge Mary Lou Robinson, who assumed senior status on February 3, 2016.[4] On December 13, 2017, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5] On January 3, 2018, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.[6] On January 5, 2018, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Kacsmaryk to a federal judgeship.[7] On January 8, 2018, his renomination was sent to the Senate.[8] On January 18, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 vote.[9]

Senate Democrats and a number of LGBT advocacy groups opposed his nomination due to his writings and comments on LGBT rights and women's contraceptive rights.[10][11] He has opposed LGBT protections in housing, employment and health care.[12] In 2016, he referred to being transgender as a "delusion" and a "mental disorder".[12] He opposes the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in the United States.[12] He has referred to homosexuality as "disordered".[13]

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 Kacsmaryk for a federal judgeship.[14] His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[15] On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[16] On June 18, 2019, the Senate voted 52–44 to invoke cloture on his nomination.[17] On June 19, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a vote of 52–46.[3][13] He received his judicial commission on June 21, 2019.

Memberships

He has been a member of the Fort Worth chapter of the Federalist Society since 2012.[18]

See also

• Donald Trump judicial appointment controversies

References

1. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Seventh Wave of Judicial Candidates". whitehouse.gov. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. "Texas Resident Convicted on Charge of Attempted Use of Weapon of Mass Destruction". justice.gov. June 27, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
3. Moreau, Julie (June 19, 2019). "Trump pick slammed as 'anti-LGBTQ activist' gets lifetime judicial appointment". NBC News. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
4. "Eight Nominations Sent to the Senate Today". whitehouse.gov. September 7, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
5. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for December 13, 2017
6. "Congressional Record", United States Senate, January 3, 2018
7. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Renomination of 21 Judicial Nominees", White House, January 5, 2018
8. "Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", The White House, January 8, 2018
9. Results of Executive Business Meeting – January 18, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee
10. Recio, Maria (January 19, 2018). "Texan gets panel's nod for federal judge post over Democrats' objections". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
11. Young, Stephen (January 19, 2018). "Trump-Nominated Plano Religious Hardliner One Step Away from North Texas Federal Bench". Dallas Observer. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
12. Bendery, Jennifer (June 19, 2019). "Senate Confirms Judge Who Attacked Roe v. Wade, Called Being Transgender 'A Delusion'". HuffPost. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
13. Itkowitz, Colby (June 19, 2019). "Senate confirms Trump judicial nominee who called homosexuality 'disordered'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
14. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019
15. "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019
16. Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
17. Roll Call Vote 116th Congress - 1st Session United States Senate Vote Summary: Vote Number 168, United States Senate, June 18, 2019
18. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Matthew J. Kacsmaryk

External links

• Matthew J. Kacsmaryk at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Matthew Kacsmaryk at Ballotpedia

Legal offices
Preceded by Mary Lou Robinson	Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas 2019–present	Incumbent