[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11556-S11557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF KENT A. JORDAN

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, we are due to vote in 2 minutes on the 
cloture motion to cut off debate so we can proceed to a vote on the 
nomination of Kent A. Jordan to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for 
the Third Circuit. Kent Jordan now is Judge Jordan on the U.S. District 
Court for the District of Delaware. He has an outstanding academic and 
professional record. He graduated cum laude from the Georgetown Law 
Center.
  Judge Jordan was nominated to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for 
the Third Circuit on June 28, 2006. A hearing was held for his 
nomination on September 6, 2006. His nomination reported out of the 
Judiciary Committee with a favorable recommendation on September 26, 
2006.
  In 1981, Judge Jordan received his BA from Brigham Young University, 
where he graduated with high honors. In 1984, he received his JD from 
the Georgetown Law Center, where he graduated cum laude.
  Following law school Judge Jordan served as a law clerk to the 
Honorable James L. Latchum, U.S. District Judge for the District of 
Delaware. After his clerkship, he entered private practice as an 
associate at Potter Anderson & Corroon. From 1987 to 1992, he served as 
an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the 
District of Delaware, where he became the office's lead attorney on 
civil matters and served as lead and cocounsel on a variety of criminal 
matters.
  He then joined Morris James Hitchens & Williams as an associate in 
1992, becoming a partner in 1994. While at the firm he handled 
intellectual property, corporate, and commercial litigation.
  From 1998 to 2002, he served as vice-president and general counsel 
for the Corporation Service Company in Wilmington, DE.
  In 2002, he was nominated and confirmed as a district judge for the 
District of Delaware, where he still sits.
  Judge Jordan is also a scholar who teaches as an adjunct professor at 
three law schools: the University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt, and 
Widener. Judge Jordan has spoken and published articles on intellectual 
property, civil procedure, advocacy, and professional responsibility. 
He has also contributed chapters to several legal titles, including two 
manuals used in the Third Circuit: ``Federal Appellate Procedure 
``and'' Federal Civil Procedure Before Trial.''
  Judge Jordan has received a unanimous ``well qualified'' rating from 
the American Bar Association.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that his resume and a full 
statement of his accomplishments be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

      Kent A. Jordan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

     Birth:
       Oct. 24, 1957, West Point, New York
     Legal Residence:
       Delaware

[[Page S11557]]

     Education:
       B.A., Brigham Young University, with high honors, 1981
       J.D., Georgetown Law Center, cum laude, 1984
     Employment:
       Law Clerk, James L. Latchum, U.S. District Court for the 
     District of Delaware, 1984-1985
       Associate, Potter Anderson & Corroon, 1985-1987
       Assistant United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office 
     for the District of Delaware, 1987-1992
       Associate, Morris James Hitchens & Williams, 1992-1993; 
     Partner, 1994-1997
       Vice-President and General Counsel, Corporation Service 
     Company, 1998-2002
       United States District Judge, District of Delaware, 2002-
     present
     Selected Activities:
       Member of the Board of Directors, Community Legal Aid 
     Society, Inc., 1994-1997
       Member, Delaware State Bar Association, 1984-present
       Member, District of Columbia Bar Association, 1996-present
       Member, American Bar Association, 1984 to early 1990s
       Member, Federalist Society, 1995-1997
       Adjunct professor at: Widener University School of Law, 
     1995-1996; 2006-present; Vanderbilt University School of Law, 
     2003-present; University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2005-
     present.
                                  ____

       Judge Kent Jordan, of the United States District Court for 
     the District of Delaware, was nominated to serve on the 
     United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on June 
     28, 2006. A hearing was held for his nomination on September 
     6, 2006. His nomination reported out of the Judiciary 
     Committee with a favorable recommendation on September 26, 
     2006.
       In 1981, Judge Jordan received his B.A. from Brigham Young 
     University, where he graduated with high honors. In 1984, he 
     received his J.D. from the Georgetown Law Center, where he 
     graduated cum laude. Following law school Judge Jordan served 
     as a law clerk to the Honorable James L. Latchum, U.S. 
     District Judge for the District of Delaware. After his 
     clerkship, he entered private practice as an associate at 
     Potter Anderson & Corroon. From 1987 to 1992, he served as an 
     Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's 
     Office for the District of Delaware, where he became the 
     office's lead attorney on civil matters and served as lead 
     and co-counsel on a variety of criminal matters.
       He then joined Morris James Hitchens & Williams as an 
     associate in 1992, becoming a partner in 1994. While at the 
     firm he handled intellectual property, corporate, and 
     commercial litigation. From 1998 to 2002, he served as vice-
     president and general counsel for the Corporation Service 
     Company in Wilmington, DE. In 2002, he was nominated and 
     confirmed as a District Judge for the District of Delaware.
       Judge Jordan is also a scholar who teaches as an adjunct 
     professor at three law schools: the University of 
     Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and Widener University. 
     Judge Jordan has spoken and published articles on 
     intellectual property, civil procedure, advocacy, and 
     professional responsibility. He has also contributed chapters 
     to several legal titles, including two manuals used in the 
     Third Circuit: Federal Appellate Procedure and Federal Civil 
     Procedure Before Trial.
       Judge Jordan has received a unanimous ``Well Qualified'' 
     rating from the American Bar Association. He enjoys the 
     strong support of both Delaware Senators.

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the 30 seconds remaining, I urge my 
colleagues to proceed to vote on the nomination of Judge Jordan and 
also on the pending nominations of some 13 district court judges, all 
of whom have been reported out favorably by the Judiciary Committee. 
Regrettably, the Senate does not focus as much attention on these 
judgeships as I think it should. The distinguished Presiding Officer 
has a judge on the docket from the State of Georgia. And with the 
enormous business pressures we have--on Iraq and on taxes and on 
appropriations--there is too little attention on judges. When a judge 
is not present on the Third Circuit, and currently there are four 
vacancies on that circuit, they have a judicial emergency situation. 
Their docket is clogged and people have to wait a long time to have 
their cases heard.
  Similarly, if there is not a judge sitting in Georgia or in Ohio, 
where Senator DeWine and Senator Voinovich want a nominee confirmed, 
people are prejudiced and disadvantaged. And from the Western District 
of Michigan, a Congressman was over yesterday, urging Senators to move 
ahead on the three pending nominations in that district. I ask that 
every step be taken at every level of the Senate to confirm these 
judges.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________