William Pocan

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William Pocan
Judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court
Assumed office
July 14, 2006
Appointed byJim Doyle
Preceded byMichael P. Sullivan
Personal details
RelationsMark Pocan (brother)
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin–Parkside (BA)
University of Wisconsin–Madison (JD)

William S. Pocan is an American lawyer and jurist serving as deputy chief judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. He is a nominee to serve as a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Education[]

Pocan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Parkside in 1981 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1984.[1]

Career[]

Pocan began his career from 1984 to 1985 at Brookhouse & Brookhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin. From 1985 to 2006, he was an associate at Jastroch & LaBarge.[2] In 2006, Pocan was appointed a judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court by Governor Jim Doyle.[3][4] Pocan was subsequently re-elected twice, and became deputy chief judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.[4] At various times, Pocan presided over juvenile, civil, and felony division cases.[5]

Nominations to district court[]

In 2014, Pocan was one of three finalists recommended to President Barack Obama by the bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission to fill a vacancy on the federal district court bench, but Pamela Pepper received the nomination instead.[5]

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Pocan to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.[6] Pocan was one of four finalists recommended to the president earlier in 2021 by the Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission.[4] Biden nominated Pocan to the seat vacated by Judge William C. Griesbach, who took senior status on December 31, 2019.[6]

His nomination is pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On February 15, 2022, U.S. senator Ron Johnson announced he would withhold his blue slip, effectively blocking Pocan from receiving a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.[7][8]

Personal life[]

Pocan's brother, Mark Pocan, is a member of the United States House of Representatives for Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district.[9] Pocan is gay.[10][11]

See also[]

  • Joe Biden judicial appointment controversies

References[]

  1. ^ "President Biden Names Eleventh Round of Judicial Nominees". The White House. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  2. ^ Voruganti, Harsh (13 January 2022). "Judge William Pocan – Nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin". The Vetting Room. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  3. ^ "William Pocan". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  4. ^ a b c Jeramey Jannene, Biden Appoints Milwaukee Judge William Pocan to Federal Bench, Urban Milwaukee (December 17, 2021).
  5. ^ a b Gayle Worland, Three nominees for Eastern District Court judgeship named, Wisconsin State Journal (February 15, 2014).
  6. ^ a b "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  7. ^ Glauber, Bill (February 16, 2022). "Ron Johnson moves to block William Pocan nomination to federal court". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  8. ^ Alder, Madison (February 16, 2022). "GOP Senator Opposes District Pick, Setting Up Test of Norm (2)". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Gilbert, Craig. "Baldwin and Johnson bring forward four candidates to fill federal judgeship in Green Bay". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  10. ^ "Congressional Wisdom: An interview with Wisconsin Representative Mark Pocan". Metro Weekly. 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  11. ^ Jannene, Jeramey. "Biden Appoints Milwaukee Judge William Pocan to Federal Bench". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved 2022-02-18.
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