Michelle M. Pettit
Michelle M. Pettit | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michelle Elise Montgomery 1972 (age 51–52) Fredericksburg, Virginia |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (B.S.) Vanderbilt University Law School (J.D.) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1994–2007 2007–present |
| Rank |  Lieutenant commander (1994–2007) Captain (2007–present) |
| Awards | Meritorious Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Meritorious Unit Commendation National Defense Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Marksmanship Medal |
Michelle Montgomery Pettit (born 1972)[1] is an Assistant United States Attorney from California and is a nominee to be a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.
Education
Pettit earned her Bachelor of Science, with distinction, from the United States Naval Academy, and her Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as Managing Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review.[2]
Legal career
Pettit served as Senior Trial Counsel for the United States Navy on Active Duty stationed in San Diego. Since 2015, Pettit has also served as a Judge in the United States Navy Reserves. She is currently an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, where she was a member of the National Security and Cybercrimes Section for eight years, and she is currently the Chief of the Intake Unit.[2][1] During the COVID-19 pandemic, a 73-year-old man in pretrial detention on methamphetamine charges was granted release by a magistrate judge on condition that he live with a family member while awaiting trial. He had no suitable family members to live with. Pettit argued he would be safer from COVID-19 in jail than if he were released, especially to a halfway house.[3][4]
Military service
From 1994–2007, Pettit served in the United States Navy, being honorably discharged Lieutenant commander. Since 2007 she has served in the United States Navy Reserve, achieving the rank of Captain. During her career in the Navy and Reserves she has held multiple positions: From 2001–04, she served as Assistant Legal Counsel, from 2004–07, she served as Senior Trial Counsel and Command Services Department Head; from 2007–10, she served as the Reserve Senior Trial Counsel; from 2010–11, she served as a Reserve Appellate Defense Counsel; from 2011–13, she served as the Reserve Executive Officer; from 2013–2015, she served as the Reserve Executive Officer and National Training Officer; then from 2015–17, she served as a Reserve Appellate Judge; from 2017-19 she served as Reserve Commanding officer and Chief Trial Judge.[1]
Nomination to district court
On September 20, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Pettit to serve as a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. On November 21, 2019, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Pettit to the seat vacated by Judge Michael M. Anello, who took senior status on October 31, 2018.[5] On January 3, 2020, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.[6] On February 13, 2020, her renomination was sent to the Senate.[7] Her nomination is currently pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Memberships
Pettit is a ember of the following groups:[1]
- Member of the Federal Bar Association since 2013, and President of the San Diego Chapter in 2019
- Member of the William B. Enright Inn of Court since 2007, and Executive Board Member since 2015
- Member of Lawyers Club of San Diego since 2010
- Member of the San Diego County Bar Association since 2007
- Member of the National Association of Women Judges since 2018
- Member of the Lawyer Representative Committee for the Southern District of California from 2013 to 2016
- Member of the Ninth Circuit Conference Executive Committee from 2016 to 2019
- Member of the Southern District of California Civics Essay and Video Contest Committee since 2014
- Member of Federalist Society since 2017
- Member of the National Charity League, Seaside Chapter, since 2015
References
- ^ a b c d United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Michelle Pettit
- ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee" White House, September 20, 2019
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Schulberg, Jessica (April 3, 2020). "DOJ: Fears Of COVID-19 In Prisons Are 'Unsubstantiated and Unwarranted'". HuffPost. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ Srikrishnan, Maya (April 2, 2020). "Attorneys Raise Alarm Over Federal Detainees in San Diego". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ "Nine Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", White House, November 21, 2019
- ^ "PN1302 - Nomination of Michelle M. Pettit for The Judiciary, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. 2020-01-03. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
- ^ "Eleven Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, February 13, 2020
