Katherine M. Menendez

Katherine Marie "Kate" Menendez (born 1971)[1] is an American attorney serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. She served as a magistrate judge of the same court.

Katherine M. Menendez
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
Assumed office
December 21, 2021
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byJoan N. Ericksen
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
In office
April 28, 2016 – December 21, 2021
Preceded byJeffrey J. Keyes
Succeeded byDulce J. Foster
Personal details
Born1971 (age 51–52)
Emporia, Kansas, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Chicago (AB)
New York University (JD)

Early life and education

Menendez was born in Emporia, Kansas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago in 1993 and a Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law in 1997.[2]

Career

From 1996 to 1997, Menendez served as a law clerk for Judge Samuel James Ervin III of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She became an assistant federal defender in 1999 and served in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the District of Minnesota until 2016.[3]

United States magistrate judge

In March 2016, she was selected as a United States magistrate judge to replace retiring Judge Jeffrey J. Keyes.[4][5] She was sworn in on April 28, 2016.[6] Her service as a magistrate terminated upon her elevation as a district court judge.

District court service

On September 8, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Menendez to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. On September 20, 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Menendez to the seat vacated by Judge Joan N. Ericksen, who assumed senior status on October 15, 2019.[7] On November 3, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8] On December 2, 2021, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 15–7 vote.[9] On December 17, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 49–21 vote.[10] On December 18, 2021, her nomination was confirmed by a 49–21 vote.[11] She received her judicial commission on December 21, 2021.[12]

Notable cases

On March 31, 2023, Menendez struck down Minnesota age limits on carrying firearms.[13] On April 24, 2023, following an emergency motion filed by the Commissioner of Public Safety, Bob Jacobson, and various county sheriffs, Menendez granted a stay on the order, effectively putting a pause on the ruling. As of April 29, 2023, the ruling is pending.[14][15]

References
  1. "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. "KATHERINE M. MENENDEZ SELECTED TO SERVE AS NEXT U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE". Red Lake Nation News. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  3. "President Biden Names Seventh Round of Judicial Nominees". The White House. 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  4. Mosedale, Mike (March 3, 2016). "Federal defender Menendez tabbed as magistrate". Minnesota Lawyer. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  5. "Jeffrey J. Keyes". United States Courts. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  6. "Katherine Marie Menendez". United States Courts. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  7. "Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. September 20, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. October 27, 2021.
  9. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 2, 2021" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  10. "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Katherine Marie Menendez to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota)". United States Senate. December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  11. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Katherine Marie Menendez, of Minnesota, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Minnesota)". United States Senate. December 18, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  12. Katherine M. Menendez at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  13. "Federal judge strikes down Minnesota's age requirement for gun permits". KSTP. March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  14. "Judge orders hold on gun permits for 18-to-20-year-olds". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
  15. "Case No. 21-cv-1348 (KMM/LIB)" (PDF). UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA. April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
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