Dayton federal judge nominee approved by Senate committee

A Dayton federal magistrate nominated to become a federal judge was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Michael Newman was approved with a 17-5 vote. If approved by the entire United States Senate, he will work at the Walter H. Rice Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in downtown Dayton.

“If confirmed, I will act just as I have done in the past nine years in the hundreds of cases I have heard and decided as a federal magistrate judge -- following the law carefully, adhering to the rule of law and precedent and acting in all times with integrity and principle,” Newman told the committee in July during a hearing.

Newman has served as a magistrate — a court officer who acts in a similar capacity as a judge — since 2011.

University of Richmond Law Professor Carl Tobias watches and studies judicial confirmation hearings. He said Newman’s committee confirmation went smoothly.

“I think everybody was impressed. The senators thought he answered questions well, so that went very well,” Tobias said.

Tobias noted that Newman was nominated by Republican President Donald Trump, but was still able to convince five Democrat senators on the committee to approve him. Newman was also recommended by both Republican Senator Rob Portman and Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown.

The next step for Newman’s confirmation will be getting approved on the Senate floor. A date for that vote has not been set. He will need a majority vote to be approved.

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