[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3695-S3697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NOMINATION OF WILLIAM H. STEELE, OF ALABAMA, TO BE UNITED STATES 
          DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is, Will the Senate advise and 
consent to the nomination of William H. Steele, of Alabama, to be the 
United States District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama?
  The nomination was confirmed.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I support the nomination of Judge William 
Steele to the United States District Court for the Southern District of 
Alabama.
  Judge's Steele's professional record indicates that he is eminently 
qualified for the federal trial bench. Upon graduation from the 
University of Alabama School of Law, Judge Steele clerked for the 
Tuscaloosa County district court. As an Assistant District Attorney in 
Mobile, he handled hundreds of criminal matters, including more than 75 
jury trials. Upon being promoted to Chief Assistant District Attorney, 
he was significantly involved in the creation of the Child Advocacy 
Center for physically and sexually abused children. He then served as 
an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting mail fraud, public 
corruption, drug violations, firearms violations, and tax code 
violations.
  In addition to his broad federal and state criminal experience, Judge 
Steele has considerable civil experience. In the private sector, while 
continuing to maintain a viable state and federal criminal trial and 
appellate practice, he also handled domestic relations matters, civil 
litigation in State and Federal court, representation of claimants in 
social security matters, and representation of the Alabama Department 
of Human Resources in child custody matters.
  Since 1990, Judge Steele has served as a Federal magistrate judge. In 
this capacity, he has handled a wide range of civil matters, 
preliminary criminal matters, prisoner cases, and social security 
appeals.
  I know that Judge Steele will be a credit to the Federal bench and 
will honorably serve the citizens of south Alabama. I thank my 
colleagues for voting for his confirmation.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I am pleased to be able to make some 
remarks in support of the nomination of Judge William H. Steele to be 
U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Alabama. He is one of 
America's finest magistrate judges--a magistrate judge who does a lot 
of the kind of legal work that goes on in every Federal courthouse in 
America. Magistrate judges are not title III Federal judges, but they 
do much the same work day after day that Federal judges do.
  During his time as a magistrate judge, Judge Steele has had firsthand 
experience in the work, and he has won the respect of the bench and the 
bar in southern Alabama.
  He has been in training now for 12 years for this position. In the 
Southern District of Alabama the magistrates are used to an 
extraordinary degree by the Federal judges who allow the magistrates to 
do as much work as possible. And they frequently preside over civil 
cases with the consent of the parties involved.
  I have talked with other lawyers and judges in Alabama. They are very 
excited about his nomination and look forward to his confirmation.
  Some people talk about public service, but throughout his life, Bill 
Steele has done more than just talk. Judge Steele has dedicated the 
better part of his life to public service and has served both this 
country and the State of Alabama well. After graduating summa cum laude 
from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1972, Judge Steele 
served in the U.S. Marine Corps as an officer, pilot, and instructor 
pilot. During his service in the Marine Corps, Judge Steele 
participated in the operation to evacuate American citizens from 
Lebanon in 1976. He also served in the Alabama National Guard as a 
pilot and as commanding officer of an assault helicopter company.
  After serving his country in the Marine Corps, Judge Steele attended 
the University of Alabama School of Law. After law school, he was 
employed as an assistant district attorney in Mobile, AL, and worked 
for 6 years in the office of a Democrat district attorney.
  I was U.S. attorney during that time. That is where I got to know 
Bill. Our staff worked closely with the district attorney's office, and 
they always came back with the most glowing opinions of Bill Steele and 
his integrity, his judgment, and his fidelity to truth and justice.
  Later, Judge Steele became chief assistant district attorney in 
Mobile. I got to know him well during that time and developed great 
respect for him. I think he tried 100 or more trials as an assistant 
district attorney. Then, in 1987, given his reputation for excellence, 
I hired him as an assistant attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office. I 
can say without reservation that during his service, while I was a U.S. 
Attorney in the Southern District of Alabama, Judge Steele did not 
disappoint. Judge Steele tried a number of cases while he was in the 
U.S. Attorney's Office, which is the Federal system in which he will 
now be a district court judge. He held that position for 2 years and

[[Page S3696]]

then went into private practice and did an excellent job there.
  He was instrumental as a private practitioner and chief assistant 
district attorney, in the establishment of the Child Advocacy Center, 
an agency devoted to identifying and providing assistance to child 
victims of physical and sexual violence.
  In 1990, the Federal court in the Southern District of Alabama 
commenced its search process for a U.S. magistrate. They usually have 
60 or more applications. It is a very competitive process. The judges 
want the very finest lawyer--someone who would make a superb judge 
because the better work that magistrate does, the more relief the 
Federal district judges get. After all that competition, he won and was 
hired.
  For 13 years now he has served as a magistrate judge. He has done so 
many different cases.
  Bill Steele is one of Alabama's most outstanding magistrate judges, 
and I am confident that he will be an even better district court judge. 
I have followed Judge Steele's career since the time I worked with him 
at the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern district of Alabama, so I 
know from firsthand experience what kind of individual Judge Steele is. 
This statement will not do him justice. He is a nominee of the highest 
order, and it is an understatement when I say that I am pleased that 
President Bush has chosen to nominate Magistrate Judge William H. 
Steele for elevation to the Southern District of Alabama.
  As a magistrate judge, Judge Steele has been training for a district 
court position for the last 12 years, and because the Southern District 
of Alabama utilizes magistrate judges to a greater extent than most 
other districts, he will be able to hit the ground running in his new 
position. I have had conversations with the other judges in the 
Southern district and I know that they are as excited about Judge 
Steele's nomination as I am, so I am glad that we can move forward with 
his confirmation.
  Some people talk about public service, but throughout his life, Judge 
Steele has done more than just talk. Judge Steele has dedicated the 
better part of his life to public service and has served both this 
country and the great state of Alabama well. After graduating summa cum 
laude, from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1972, Judge 
Steele served in the United States Marine Corps as on officer, pilot, 
and instructor pilot. During his service in the Marine Corps, Judge 
Steele participated in the operation to evacuate American citizens from 
Lebanon in 1976. Judge Steele also served in the Alabama National Guard 
as a pilot and as the commanding officer of an assault helicopter 
company.
  After serving his country in the Marine Corps, Judge Steele attended 
the University of Alabama School of Law, graduating in 1980. After law 
school, Judge Steele was employed as an Assistant District Attorney in 
Mobile, Alabama, and worked for six years for a democrat District 
Attorney. At the District Attorney's Office, Judge Steele distinguished 
himself as an outstanding advocate, litigating close to, if not more, 
than 100 jury trials. In recognition of his legal skills and leadership 
qualities in the District Attorney's Office, Judge Steele was appointed 
as Chief Assistant District Attorney in 1985. As the Chief Assistant, 
Judge Steele was instrumental in establishing, the Child Advocacy 
Center, an agency devoted to identifying and providing assistance to, 
child victims of physical and sexual violence.
  In 1987, given his reputation in the community for excellent legal 
abilities and personal skills, I was proud to hire Judge Steele as an 
Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Alabama. I can say 
without reservation, that during his service, while I was the U.S. 
Attorney in that office, Judge Steele did not disappoint. I found him 
to be a first-rate lawyer who set the standard for integrity by 
treating all parties with respect.
  In 1990, Judge Steele was appointed to the position, which he 
currently holds, as a United States Magistrate Judge. He has served in 
this position with distintion, handling a full array of criminal and 
civil matters in federal court. The Southern District of Alabama has a 
heavy caseload, and the judges there depend on magistrate judges to go 
beyond preliminary criminal matters and social security cases. The 
magistrate judges in the Southern District are in rotation to receive 
25 percent of the civil docket, where the parties consent. So Judge 
Steele has been doing the job of a district judge, including presiding 
over civil jury trials in many instances. It is my understanding, from 
talking to lawyers who practice in the Southern District, that Judge 
Steele has managed his docket well and the numbers show it. This is 
simply an outstanding nominee.

  Judge Steele has not only been a leader in the workforce, but has 
been a leader and a active participant in his community as well, 
serving on the board of the Child Advocacy Center that he helped 
establish. And for the record, Judge Steele does not shy away from the 
arts. Judge Steele often volunteers his time to support First Night 
Mobile, a family-oriented, New Year's Eve, alcohol-free celebration of 
the arts, and he regularly performs with the Mobile Symphonic Pops as a 
saxophone player.
  I acknowledge, that all of these accolades would be futile, if Judge 
Steele had not demonstrated commitment to the rule of law and to the 
Constitution, during his service as a magistrate judge. In my view, 
this is the first and foremost requirement for a federal judge. This is 
what our democracy hinges upon, and I know that Judge Steele is 
committed to that requirement. Judge Steele has a reputation for being 
eminently fair and impartial throughout the bar association. And having 
worked with him personally, I know that he is an individual with 
unquestioned integrity and the utmost character.
  I will just say this: when it comes to serving with the distinction, 
it is the lawyers in the community who know a judge the best. Here is 
what Fred Gray, former counsel to the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr., had to say about Judge Steele in a letter to the Senate 
Judiciary Committee supporting his confirmation:

       I have practiced law in the State of Alabama and before all 
     the federal district courts . . . I realize that it is 
     important that all the judges who serve on the courts . . . 
     are one[s] who possess the necessary personal 
     characteristics, experience, practical knowledge, legal 
     skills and professional background, so they will administer 
     justice in a fair and impartial manner.
       I have discussed [Judge Steele's] qualifications generally 
     and specifically with reference to intelligence, honesty, 
     morality, integrity, maturity, stability, demeanor and 
     temperament with members of the bar who know him and have 
     practiced before him and other judges who sit on some of the 
     courts in Mobile. Based upon their representations to me, 
     Judge Steele possess all the necessary qualities for a 
     [federal judgeship].
       I have had the opportunity to meet with Judge Steele 
     personally . . . I believe he will be fair to all litigants 
     who appear before him . . . regardless of color or national 
     origin or the type of litigation. I believe he will 
     administer justice tempered with mercy.

  I do not believe that you could receive a better endorsement than 
this one.
  The lawyers and individuals who know Judge Steele best, because they 
have worked with him and practiced in front of him, have all voiced 
support. Since his nomination has been pending, Judge Steele has been 
endorsed by a number of individuals including the current President and 
16 former presidents of the Mobile Bar Association, several former 
president of the Birmingham Bar, and several former presidents of the 
Alabama Bar Association.
  The Vernon Z. Crawford Bay Area--African-American--Bar Association of 
Mobile, AL gave its unanimous endorsement:

       The . . . Association strongly recommends Magistrate Bill 
     Steele for this position because he recognizes and is 
     sensitive to the issues facing African American lawyers and 
     the African American community. . . . We give Magistrate 
     Steele our highest recommendation.

  Major General Gary Cooper, USMC--Ret., former Ambassador to Jamaica, 
president of a Commonwealth National Bank in Mobile, AL, and an African 
American:

       As an African American citizen of Mobile and as a retired 
     Marine, I appreciate what William Steele has done for his 
     community as a county and federal prosecutor and federal 
     magistrate, and what he has done for his country as a Marine 
     helicopter pilot. His record indicates that he will make a 
     fine . . . Judge.

  Joy Williams, former law clerk to Magistrate Judge Steele and an 
African American:


[[Page S3697]]


       [W]hile I was the only person of color clerking on the 
     court at the time, I truly felt comfortable and accepted from 
     the moment I interviewed with Judge Steele. He has never 
     given me a reason to question the sincerity of his support of 
     me and my endeavors both professionally and personally.

  Merceria Ludgood, Assistant County Attorney for Mobile County, former 
Director of Program Services for Legal Services Corporation in 
Washington, D.C., and former Executive Director of Legal Services 
Corporation of Alabama:

       Magistrate Judge Steele is one of the finest men I have 
     ever known. Never once have I believed his actions to be 
     motivated by politics or ambition. He simply wants to do the 
     right thing for the right reasons.

  Robert D. Segall, attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union in 
the case opposing the display of the Ten Commandments in an Alabama 
courtroom:

       Judge Steele is an outstanding selection, is very highly 
     qualified, and I respectfully urge his prompt confirmation.

  Carlos A. William, Southern District of Alabama Federal Defenders 
Organization:

       During the years I have practiced in [Judge Steele's] 
     court, I have come to know a jurist of integrity, 
     professionalism and compassion, and I have grown to respect 
     his judgement. . . . [I] note that every lawyer in my office, 
     Kristen Gartman Rogers, K. Lyn Hillman Campbell and 
     Christopher Knight, in unsolicited comments, have expressed 
     their support for Magistrate Steele's nomination. It is 
     therefore without hesitation that I send this letter in 
     support of Magistrate William Steele's nomination.

  Larry C. Moorer, long time practitioner in Mobile, Alabama and an 
African American:

       Over the years, I have handled several legal matters before 
     Magistrate Judge Steele . . . He has shown over the years 
     that he is fair and impartial, and will rule according to the 
     law regardless of public opinion or possibly his own personal 
     feelings. . . . Magistrate Judge Steele provides a level 
     playing field . . . [and] he possesses the attributes for 
     being an outstanding appellate judge.

  Larry Sims, President of the Mobile Bar Association and 16 former 
presidents.
  Numerous officers and members of the Women of the Mobile Bar 
Association.
  Hodge Alves, President of the Mobile Chapter of the Federal Bar 
Association.
  Several former presidents of the Montgomery Bar Association.
  Bruce Rogers, incoming president of the Birmingham Bar Association, 
and a number of former presidents.
  Warren Lightfoot, former president of the Alabama Bar Association, 
and managing partner of one of the most respected litigation firms in 
Birmingham, AL.
  Jim North, a prominent Democrat in Birmingham, former clerk for 
Justice Hugo Black, and former President of the Alabama Bar 
Association.
  Rosemary Chambers, Circuit Judge of Mobile County.
  Chris Galanos, a Democrat and former District Attorney of Mobile 
County who employed Steele as a prosecutor for several years.
  Alex Bunin, Federal Public Defender, Districts of Northern New York 
and Vermont.
  Greg Breedlove, on behalf of the unanimous firm of Cunningham, 
Bounds, Yance, Crowder and Brown, L.L.C. in Mobile, Alabama--prominent 
Democratic, plaintiffs' firm.
  John Morrow, former president of the Birmingham Bar Association and 
long-time practicing attorney with one of the largest firm's in 
Birmingham, AL.
  Ed Allen, 38-year practitioner with one of the largest firms in 
Birmingham, Alabama, and former member of the Executive Committee of 
the Birmingham Bar Association, and the Labor and Employment sections 
of the American Bar Association and the Alabama Bar Association.
  Henry Brewster, Mobile, AL, Democrat plaintiff's lawyer whose 
practice focuses on employment discrimination cases.
  Jerry McDowell, long-time practitioner from Mobile, AL.
  This support, in my view, confirms that President Bush made the right 
decision in nominating Judge Steele.
  Judge Steele has the professional qualifications, integrity, 
professional competence and judicial temperament to serve on the 
federal bench in the Southern District of Alabama. The ABA has 
acknowledged such, rating him unanimously qualified. As a magistrate 
judge in the Southern District of Alabama, he is practically already 
doing the job. Judge Steele will make an excellent addition to the 
federal bench, and deserves to be confirmed by this Senate. I look 
forward to supporting Judge Steele and to casting my vote in favor of 
his confirmation. I urge my colleagues to support Judge Steele.
  I yield the floor.
  I want to say I don't know that I have met a finer individual, a more 
dedicated patriot than Judge Bill Steele. He is someone I admire and 
someone who is admired by people I admire. People who have good 
judgment of character think he is first rate.
  The Bar Association in the Southern District of Alabama has 
unanimously told me time and again how much they appreciate him and how 
well they think he will do as a Federal judge. And I am very pleased 
for him.
  He has received support from a large number of different sources. Of 
course, the established bar in the Southern District of Alabama speaks 
very highly of him.
  You ask what about others? What do they say about him? The President 
of the Alabama Bar Association for the State is Mr. Fred Gray. He was 
former counsel for the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and has 
tried some of the most historic cases in the history of the United 
States.
  He was involved in New York Times v. Sullivan and Chameleon v. Light 
Foot and was the attorney on the Rosa Parks bus boycott case. He worked 
directly with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at that time. He has written 
an excellent book describing the bus ride to justice.
  He writes to me his strong support for Judge Steele. He realizes he 
said it is important that all judges who serve on the courts possess 
the necessary personal character, experience, knowledge, legal skills, 
and professional background so they will administer justice in a fair 
and impartial way.
  He went on to explain his meeting with Judge Steele--his knowledge of 
him, and his support for him. Group after group has written on Judge 
Steele's behalf.
  I believe this Senate will make a wise decision if Judge Steele is 
confirmed. I have absolutely no doubt that this fine nominee will serve 
with distinction. He will serve and treat every party before the court 
with courtesy. He will control his court with firmness but fairness. He 
will demonstrate integrity. And, most of all, every day that he goes to 
work, Bill Steele will sit there and try to do what he can to produce 
justice.
  I am delighted he has been able to move through the process. I thank 
my colleagues in the Senate for their help. I saw Senator Leahy 
earlier. I congratulated him and thanked him for allowing this 
nomination to move forward.
  I thank Senator Hatch for his determination to move nominees, who are 
qualified, forward to confirmation.
  As I said, I am confident in Judge Bill Steele. The courts of the 
United States will have a superstar who will do a superb job.

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