Taylor McNeel

Taylor B. McNeel is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on July 2, 2020, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 1, 2020, by a vote of 53-39. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 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.

McNeel was a partner/member at Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, in Biloxi, Mississippi, from 2016 to 2020.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi (2020-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On July 2, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated McNeel to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He was confirmed by a 53-39 vote of the U.S. Senate on December 1, 2020.^[1] McNeel received commission on December 14, 2020.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Taylor McNeel
Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Progress
Confirmed 152 days after nomination.
Nominated: July 2, 2020
ABA Rating: Unanimously qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
Hearing: September 9, 2020
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
Reported: October 22, 2020
Confirmed: December 1, 2020
Vote: 53-39

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed McNeel by a vote of 53-39 on December 1, 2020.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

McNeel confirmation vote (December 1, 2020)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	4	38	3
Republican	49	0	4
Independent	0	1	1
Total	53	39	8

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

McNeel 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.^[3]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[4]

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.^[5] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

McNeel had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 9, 2020.^[6] McNeel's nomination was reported to the full Senate on October 22, 2020, after a 12-0 committee vote. No Democratic committee members were present to advance his nomination.^[7]

Nomination

On June 15, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate McNeel to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.^[8] McNeel was officially nominated on July 2, 2020.^[1]

McNeel was nominated to replace Judge Louis Guirola, who assumed senior status on March 23, 2018.

The nomination received support from Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, both Republicans. The senators had recommended McNeel for the position. In a statement, Wicker said, "Taylor McNeel will make a great judge because he shares the conservative judicial philosophy that laws should be interpreted as written." Hyde-Smith said, "Taylor McNeel’s legal experience, judicial philosophy, and good character will make him an excellent jurist for the Southern District."^[9]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated McNeel qualified for the position.^[10] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

McNeel was born in Louisville, Mississippi, in 1983. He earned his B.B.A., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi in 2005, and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2008. During his legal studies, he served on the Mississippi Law Journal.^[11][12]

Professional career

• 2020-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
• 2008-2020: Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, in Biloxi, Mississippi
  • 2016-2020: Partner/Member
  • 2008-2015: Associate attorney^[12]

Associations

Note: Association membership dates were accurate as of September 2020.

• 2020-present: Member, The Federalist Society, Mississippi Gulf Coast chapter
• 2019-present: Board of trustees, Pascagoula-Gautier School District
• 2015-present: Member, Jackson County Bar Association
• 2014-present: Member, Defense Research Institute
• 2012-present: Member, Federal Bar Association
• 2009-present: Member, American Bar Association
• 2009-present: Member, American Inns of Court, Russell, Blass, Walker chapter
• 2009-present: Member, Fifth Circuit Bar Association
• 2009-present: Member, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
• 2009-present: Member, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
• 2008-present: Member, Harrison County Bar Association
  • 2018: President
  • 2017: First vice-president
  • 2016: Second vice-president
  • 2015: Secretary-treasurer
• 2008-present: Member, Mississippi Bar Association^[12]

About the court

Southern District of Mississippi
Fifth Circuit
Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Halil Ozerden
Active judges: Kristi Haskins Johnson, Daniel Jordan, Taylor McNeel, Halil Ozerden, Carlton W. Reeves, Henry Wingate Senior judges: David Bramlette, Louis Guirola, Tom Lee, Keith Starrett

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 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 Fifth Circuit based in downtown New Orleans at the John Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Southern District of Mississippi has six authorized judicial posts. The chief judge of the court is Daniel Jordan, who was appointed by George W. Bush (R). Two judges on the court were appointed by Donald Trump (R).

The Southern District of Mississippi 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 Mississippi consists of all the following counties in the southern part of the state of Mississippi.

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 Mississippi
• United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
• Biography from Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

Footnotes