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SALT LAKE CITY — President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Ann Marie McIff Allen to serve as United States District Court Judge for the District of Utah.
Allen has sat on Utah's 5th District Court — serving Iron, Beaver, and Washington counties — since her appointment by Gov. Gary Herbert in 2020. She was recommended for the federal position by Sen. Mitt Romney.
"Having reviewed her record and evaluated her qualifications, it is clear that Judge Allen is exceptionally qualified to serve as U.S. District Court judge for the District of Utah," Romney said Tuesday in a press release. "After speaking with her, I have no doubt that Judge Allen will serve our state and country with honor and integrity, and I look forward to supporting her nomination when it comes before the Senate."
Prior to serving on the 5th District Court, Allen worked at Southern Utah University as director of ethics and compliance and then as general counsel. A native of southern Utah, Allen received both her undergraduate and law degrees at Brigham Young University. She went on to practice law as a private civil attorney at multiple Utah-based firms and later as a prosecutor and public defender for the Iron County Attorney's Office.
Sen. Mike Lee also expressed support for Allen's nomination. He said he knew her qualifications firsthand from their time together at BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School where they both graduated in 1997.
"The nomination of Judge Ann Marie Mclff Allen to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah is a commendable choice — one that recognizes her extensive qualifications and steadfast commitment to the law and the Constitution," Lee said Tuesday on social media.
He continued: "I've had the privilege of knowing Judge Allen since law school, and she understands that the proper role of the judiciary is to discern what the law says, never to rely on force or personal preference while interpreting it. Her experience presiding over a wide range of cases, civil and criminal, and her outstanding work as a judge and as a practicing attorney demonstrate she's the right candidate for the job. I look forward to supporting her nomination."
The Biden administration announced the nomination of five other people to federal district courts on Tuesday, bringing the total number during his term to 209.
Federal judicial nominees face independent reviews by White House officials and the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, according to the American Constitution Society.
Following this process — and if both home-state senators support the president's nominee — the nomination is taken up by the Senate Judiciary Committee which then reports the nomination favorably or unfavorably to the full Senate for a floor vote.
Appointment as a federal district court judge is a lifetime position, ending when a judge resigns, retires or passes away, or in the rare case Congress votes to impeach and convict.
