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David Morales (Texas federal judge)

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David Morales

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

Education

David S. Morales is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. On April 12, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Morales to a seat on this court.^[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Morales on a 56-41 vote on April 10, 2019.^[2] He received his judicial commission on April 25, 2019.^[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas is one of 94 U.S. district courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Morales was a partner with Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP from 2016 to 2019.^[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (2018)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

President Donald Trump (R) nominated Morales as an Article III judge on the Southern District of Texas on April 12, 2018.^[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Morales by a 56-41 vote on April 10, 2019.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: David Morales
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Progress
Confirmed 363 days after nomination.
Nominated: April 12, 2018
ABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
Hearing: June 6, 2018

QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)

Reported: June 28, 2018 (first)/February 7, 2019 (second)
Confirmed: April 10, 2019
Vote: 56-41

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Morales on April 10, 2019, on a vote of 56-41.^[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

David Morales confirmation vote (April 10, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	4	39	2
Republican	52	0	1
Independent	0	2	0
Total	56	41	3

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Morales was the fifth judge to be confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.^[5]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[6]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.^[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Morales' nomination on June 6, 2018.^[8] The committee reported Morales' nomination to the full Senate on June 28, 2018, on an 11-10 vote.^[9]

The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Morales' nomination a second time on February 7, 2019, on a 12-10 vote. His nomination was one of 44 that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reported that day.^[10]

Nomination

Morales was nominated to succeed Judge Janis Jack, who assumed senior status on June 1, 2011.^[2]

At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Morales's nomination to President Trump.^[11] Morales was one of 51 individuals the president re-nominated on January 23, 2019.^[12]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Morales well qualified for the position.^[13] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Morales was born in 1968 in Edinburg, Texas. He received his undergraduate degree from St. Edward’s University in 1990 and his J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1994.^[4]

Professional career

2019-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
2016-2019: Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
2014-2016: Deputy general counsel, University of Texas System Board of Regents
2011-2014: General counsel, Office of the Governor of Texas
1994-2011: Office of the Attorney General of Texas
- 2010-2011: Deputy first assistant attorney
- 2007-2010: Deputy attorney general for civil litigation
- 2004-2007: Associate deputy attorney general for litigation and chief ethics officer
- 1994-2004: Assistant attorney general, General Litigation Division^[4]

Awards and associations

Awards

2014: Distinguished Alumnus Award, Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi, Texas
2005-2006: Rising Star, Texas Monthly and Law and Politics^[4]

Associations

2016-present: Federal Bar Association, Western District of Texas
2016-present: Texas Supreme Court Historical Society
2014-2015: National Association of College and University Attorneys
2005-present: Austin Bar Association
1995-present: Fifth Circuit Bar Association
1994-present: State Bar of Texas^[4]

About the court

Southern District of Texas
Fifth Circuit

Judgeships
Posts: 19
Judges: 15
Vacancies: 4
Judges
Chief: Randy Crane
Active judges: Alfred Bennett, Jeff Brown, Randy Crane, Keith Ellison, Charles R. Eskridge III, Marina Garcia Marmolejo, George Hanks, Ricardo Hinojosa, John Kazen, David Morales, Rolando Olvera, Nelva Gonzales Ramos, Fernando Rodriguez Jr., Diana Saldana, Drew Barnett Tipton Senior judges: Micaela Alvarez, Andrew Hanen, Melinda Harmon, David Hittner, Kenneth Hoyt, Lynn Hughes, Janis Jack, Sim Lake, Gray Miller, John Rainey, Lee Rosenthal, Hilda Tagle, Ewing Werlein

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas is one of 94 United States district courts. The court's headquarters are in Houston and has six additional offices in the district. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based in downtown New Orleans at the John Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Southern District of Texas has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are seven court divisions: Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Galveston, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria. Click here to see a list of counties in each division.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.

As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.

After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.

If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.

The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.

If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.