Daniel Bress testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on May 22.
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed Kirkland & Ellis litigation partner Daniel Bress to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a 53-45 vote.
Bress, whose nomination had been opposed by California’s Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, is set to become the seventh judge appointed by President Donald Trump to take the Ninth Circuit bench. Feinstein and Harris had raised concerns prior to Bress’ confirmation hearing in May that he is a Washington, D.C.-based lawyer with little claim to a seat based in California. Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee including Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, however, dismissed those concerns, noting that Bress was born in rural California, has close family ties to the states, and still litigates in its courts. He passed out of the committee in a party line vote last month.
