Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman
September 30, 2021 | Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today applauded the nominations of Ms. Bridget Meehan Brennan, Mr. Charles Esque Fleming, and Judge David Augustin Ruiz by President Biden to serve as U.S. Federal District Court Judges for the Northern District of Ohio. The Northern District has court locations in Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, and Youngstown. It serves over six million Ohioans in the 40 most northern counties in Ohio. The nominees must now be confirmed by the full U.S. Senate.
Portman and Brown praised the three nominees for their distinct career achievements:
“Ms. Brennan has served the Northern District of Ohio with distinction in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will continue to do so as a federal judge,” said Senator Portman. “She has earned a strong reputation for her even-handed approach, work ethic, and commitment to the rule of law.”
“Ms. Brennan has a broad range of legal experience that has prepared her to serve on the bench in the Northern District of Ohio,” said Senator Brown. “She has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving all Ohioans and the ability to uphold the law decisively and with integrity.”
Ms. Brennan would become the fifth woman presently on the bench in the Northern District, if confirmed. She has served as the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio since January 2021. Ms. Brennan has held a number of leadership roles since joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2007, including First Assistant from 2018 to 2021, Chief of the Criminal Division from 2017 to 2018, Chief of the Civil Rights Unit from 2015 to 2017, and Ethics Advisor from 2013 to 2018. She was previously an associate at Baker Hostetler LLP in Cleveland from 2000 to 2007. Ms. Brennan received her J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law in 2000 and her B.A. from John Carroll University in 1997.
“Mr. Fleming has long served the people of the Northern District of Ohio as a Federal Public Defender,” said Senator Portman. “He has demonstrated integrity and excellence in his advocacy and would continue to uphold those high standards as a federal judge.”
“Mr. Fleming has dedicated his career to public service in the Northern District of Ohio,” said Senator Brown. “He is an ethical and principled Federal Public Defender and as a federal judge he would use his years of legal experience to ensure equality and justice for all Ohioans.”
If confirmed, Mr. Fleming would be the only African American man currently serving as an active-duty Federal District Court Judge for the Northern District. He has served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland since 1991. In addition to serving as an Assistant Federal Public Defender, Mr. Fleming was the Investigative and Paralegal Staff Supervisor from 2010 to 2016 and the Cleveland Trial Team Supervisor from 2016 to 2021. He was an associate at Forbes, Forbes & Associates in Cleveland from 1990 to 1991. Mr. Fleming received his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1990 and his B.A. from Kent State University in 1986.
“Judge Ruiz’s experience, temperament, and high ethical standards have served him well as a federal magistrate judge,” said Senator Portman. “His background and character make him well-qualified to continue serving the Northern District of Ohio as a federal judge.”
“Throughout his career as a federal magistrate, Judge Ruiz has shown an unfailing judicial temperament,” said Senator Brown. “As a federal district court judge, I am confident that Judge Ruiz would continue to serve the Northern District with the fairness and justice that has defined his work.”
If confirmed, Judge Ruiz would be the first Latino federal judge in Ohio’s history. Judge Ruiz has served as a Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio since 2016. From 2010 to 2016, he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Ohio. From 2003 to 2010, Judge Ruiz worked as a senior attorney at Calfee Halter & Griswold LLP in Cleveland. From 2001 to 2003, Judge Ruiz has worked in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Judge Ruiz received a J.D. from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2000 and a B.A. from Ohio State in 1997.
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