Douglas Cole

Douglas Russell Cole is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Cole to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Cole on December 4, 2019, by a vote of 64-29.^[1] He received commission on December 5, 2019.^[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio 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 Southern District of Ohio, click here.

Cole was a partner at Organ Cole LLP in Columbus, Ohio. He joined the firm in 2011.^[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Cole as an Article III judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.^[4] The U.S. Senate confirmed Cole on December 4, 2019, by a vote of 64-29.^[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Douglas R. Cole
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Progress
Confirmed 205 days after nomination.
Nominated: May 13, 2019
ABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
Hearing: June 26, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
Reported: July 18, 2019
Confirmed: December 4, 2019
Vote: 64-29

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Cole on December 4, 2019, on a vote of 64-29.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Cole confirmation vote (December 4, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	13	29	3
Republican	50	0	3
Independent	1	0	1
Total	64	29	7

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Cole was 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 Cole's confirmation on June 26, 2019.^[8] The committee voted 16-6 to advance Cole's nomination to the full Senate on July 18, 2019.^[9]

Nomination

Cole was nominated to succeed Judge Susan Dlott, who assumed senior status on May 31, 2018.^[10]

Ohio Senators Rob Portman (R) and Sherrod Brown (D) supported Cole's nomination. In a statement, Brown said, "Cole is a seasoned lawyer and public servant who was recommended by our bipartisan judicial selection commission to serve Ohio’s Southern District. He brings a broad range of legal experience to the table, which will help him tackle the issues he will face as a judge. I’m pleased to join Senator Portman in supporting his nomination."^[10]

Portman said, "Cole is one of the most experienced and well-respected litigators in Ohio. His record of success in private practice and his service to Ohio during his time as the State’s Solicitor General make him an excellent choice for this position."^[10]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Cole well qualified for the position.^[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Cole was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1964. He obtained a B.A. in math and physics from Ripon College in 1986. He received a B.S.E.E. with honors from the University of Wisconsin in 1988. Cole earned a J.D. with high honors from the University of Chicago Law School in 1993.^[3][12]

Professional career

• 2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
• 2011-2019: Partner, Organ Cole LLP in Columbus, Ohio,
• 2006-2011: Partner, Jones Day
• 2003-2006: State solicitor of Ohio, Office of the Attorney General of Ohio
• 2000-2003: Assistant professor of law, Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• 1998-2000: Of counsel, Zeiger & Carpenter
• 1997-1998: Visiting assistant professor of law, University of Oklahoma College of Law
• 1994-1997: Associate, Kirkland & Ellis, in Chicago, Illinois
• 1993-1994: Law clerk to Judge Frank Easterbrook, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit^[3][13]

Awards and associations

Awards

• 2018: Fellow, American Academcy of Appellate Lawyers
• 2017: Best brief award, Ohio Supreme Court^[3]

Associations

• American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
• Columbus Bar Association
• Franklin County Chapter of American Inns of Court
  • 2002-2004: Secretary
• Illinois Bar Association
• Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission
  • 2012-2017: Chair of Committee on Finance, Taxation and Economic Development
• Ohio State Bar Association
  • 2008-2009: Task Force on Legal Education
  • 2002-2006: Board of Editors for OSBA monthly magazine^[3]

About the court

Southern District of Ohio
Sixth Circuit
Judgeships
Posts: 8
Judges: 8
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Sarah Daggett Morrison
Active judges: Douglas Cole, Jeffery P. Hopkins, Algenon Marbley, Matthew McFarland, Sarah Daggett Morrison, Michael J. Newman, Edmund Sargus, Michael Watson Senior judges: Michael Barrett, Sandra Beckwith, Timothy S. Black, Susan Dlott, James Graham, Walter Rice, Thomas Rose, Herman Weber

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit based in downtown Cincinnati at the Potter A. Stewart Federal Courthouse and Building.

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

The geographic jurisdiction of the Southern District of Ohio consists of all the following counties in the southern part of the state of Ohio.

There are two court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Eastern Division, covering Athens, Belmont, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Union, Vinton, and Washington counties.

The Western Division, covering Adams, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Lawrence, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Scioto, Shelby, and Warren counties.

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.

See also

• United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
• United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
• Profile from Organ Cole LLP (archived December 2017)
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
• United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit

Footnotes