President Joe Biden is reaching into the Massachusetts Superior Court to fill a U.S. District Court judgeship in the Bay State, selecting Judge Angel Kelley to fill an open slot on the federal bench.
If confirmed, Kelley would become the second African American woman judge and the second Asian American judge to serve on the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, the White House said.
A 2009 nominee of former Gov. Deval Patrick, Kelley initially served on the Brockton District Court and was elevated in 2013 to the Superior Court, where she has served as the regional administrative judge.
Kelley has twice appeared before the Governor's Council for hearings, where councilors confirmed her despite some concerns that she arrived on the bench with too little legal experience in Massachusetts.