Alan Albright

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Alan Albright
Image of Alan Albright

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Tenure

2018 - Present

Years in position

6

Education

Bachelor's

Trinity University, 1981

Law

University of Texas School of Law, 1984

Personal
Birthplace
Dauphin, Pa.

Alan D. Albright is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on January 24, 2018, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on September 6, 2018, by a voice vote.[1] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas 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.

Albright was previously a partner in the Austin office of Bracewell LLP.[1]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

Albright was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas by President Donald Trump (R) on January 24, 2018. The U.S. Senate confirmed Albright on September 6, 2018, by a voice vote.[2] He received commission on September 10, 2018.[2] To read more about the federal nomination process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Alan Albright
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Progress
Confirmed 225 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: January 24, 2018
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: April 25, 2018
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: May 24, 2018 
ApprovedAConfirmed: September 6, 2018

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Albright on September 6, 2018, by voice vote.[2]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Albright had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on April 25, 2018. The committee voted to advance Albright's nomination to the full Senate on May 24, 2018.[2]

Nomination

Albright was nominated to replace Judge Walter Smith Jr., who retired on September 14, 2016.

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Albright well qualified for the position.[3] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Albright received his undergraduate degree from Trinity University in 1981 and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1984.[4]

Professional career

Albright was a partner at the office of Bracewell LLP in Austin, Texas. He also previously worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas Law School.[1] He served as a law clerk to Judge James Nowlin of the Western District of Texas from 1984 to 1986.[4] He also served as a federal magistrate judge for the Western District of Texas from 1992 to 1999.

Noteworthy events

Federal judges sign letter regarding hiring Columbia University students (2024)

On May 6, 2024, Albright and 12 other federal judges signed a letter to Columbia University saying they would not hire undergraduates or law students from the university, beginning with the entering class of 2024.[5]

In the letter, the judges said, "As judges who hire law clerks every year to serve in the federal judiciary, we have lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education."[6]

They signed the letter in the context of student demonstrations at Columbia University over the Israel-Hamas War. The students who participated in the demonstrations demanded that the university divest all of its finances from "companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."[7]

The judges said they believed the university should institute consequences for faculty and students who participated in the demonstrations. They also called on the university to practice "neutrality and nondiscrimination in the protection of freedom of speech" and "viewpoint diversity on the faculty and across the administration."[6]

The Washington Post reported that Dean of Columbia Law School Gillian Lester said in a statement that graduates are "consistently sought out by leading employers in the private and public sectors, including the judiciary." Lester did not directly address the letter.[5]


About the court

United States District Court for the Western District of Texas

Western District of Texas
Fifth Circuit
TX-WD.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 13
Judges: 11
Vacancies: 2
Judges
Chief: Alia Moses
Active judges: Alan Albright, Samuel Biery, Kathleen Cardone, David Counts, Orlando Garcia, Ernesto Gonzalez, Alia Moses, Robert Pitman, Jason Pulliam, Xavier Rodriguez, Leon Schydlower

Senior judges:
David Briones, David Alan Ezra, David Guaderrama, Robert Junell, Frank Montalvo, James Nowlin, Sam Sparks


The United States District Court For the Western District Of Texas is a United States district court with jurisdiction over the counties in the western part of the State of Texas. This district covers over 92,000 square miles and seven divisions. It 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 Counties of the Western District of Texas (click for larger map)

The Western District of Texas has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are seven court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Austin Division, covering Bastrop, Blanco, Burleson, Burnet, Caldwell, Gillespie, Hays, Kimble, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, San Saba, Travis, Washington, and Williamson counties;

The Del Rio Division, covering Edwards, Kinney, Maverick, Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Zavala counties;

The El Paso Division, covering El Paso and Hudspeth counties;

The Midland Division, covering Andrews, Crane, Ector, Martin, Midland, and Upton counties;

The Pecos Division, covering Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Loving, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Ward, and Winkler counties;

The San Antonio Division, covering Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Dimmit, Frio, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, Real, and Wilson counties; and

The Waco Division, covering Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Freestone, Hamilton, Hill, Leon, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Robertson, and Somervell counties.


To read opinions published by this court, click here.

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

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Tenth Wave of Judicial Nominees," January 23, 2018
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN1523 — Alan D. Albright — The Judiciary," accessed September 7, 2018
  3. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed April 22, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named FJC
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Washington Post, "Conservative judges say they will boycott Columbia University students," May 7, 2024
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Washington Post, "Letter to Columbia University," May 6, 2024
  7. ↑ Columbia University Apartheid Divest, "Demands," accessed May 14, 2024

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
2018-Present		 Succeeded by
-


Texas courts

Federal courts:

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas

State courts:

Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts

State resources:

Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas

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