[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                    Nomination of Margaret R. Guzman

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today the Senate will vote to confirm 
Judge Margaret Guzman to the U.S. District Court for the District of 
Massachusetts.
  Judge Guzman has had a lengthy and distinguished career in public 
service and is highly qualified to be a district court judge. Judge 
Guzman received her B.A. from Clark University and her J.D. from Boston 
University Law School. She then served as a public defender for 13 
years and later as a solo practitioner for 4 years. Throughout her 
legal career, she tried more than 175 cases to verdict, judgment, or 
final decision. In 2009, Judge Guzman was appointed to be an associate 
justice of the District Court on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
Trial Court. Since 2017, she has been the first justice and a district 
court judge on the Ayer District Court in Middlesex County, MA. While 
on the bench, Judge Guzman has presided over more than 1,000 cases that 
have gone to verdict or judgment.
  In addition to bringing professional diversity to the courts as a 
former public defender, Judge Guzman would also bring demographic 
diversity to the bench as the first Hispanic judge to serve on the 
District of Massachusetts. The American Bar Association's Standing 
Committee on the Federal Judiciary rated Judge Guzman ``qualified,'' 
and she has the strong support of her home State Senators, Mr. Markey 
and Ms. Warren.
  I urge my colleagues to support Judge Guzman's nomination.
  Mr. MARKEY. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak in 
support of the nomination of Judge Margaret Guzman to serve as a U.S. 
district judge for the District of Massachusetts. Yesterday, the Senate 
invoked cloture on Judge Guzman's nomination, and in a few minutes, we 
will vote on her confirmation.
  Margaret Guzman currently serves as a Massachusetts State district 
court judge. She is a Massachusetts native and a graduate of Clark 
University in Worcester and the Boston University School of Law.
  In addition to Judge Guzman's more than 20 years of service on the 
Massachusetts State judiciary, her three-decade career in the law 
includes work as a solo practitioner handling civil cases and a public 
defender representing indigent criminal offenders. Judge Guzman will 
therefore bring to the Federal bench not only the knowledge and 
experience of a State court judge who has presided over more than 1,000 
cases in her career that have gone to verdict or judgment but the 
wisdom of a public defender and solo practitioner, joining together 
precisely the kind of professional legal diversity that the Biden 
administration has made a priority and that the Federal judiciary badly 
needs.
  But there is more to Margaret Guzman than this impressive legal 
resume. Her personal story has also shaped her and her outlook from the 
bench. In 1999, during a challenging time for her family, she became 
the guardian and custodian to six of her nieces and nephews, then age 3 
to 15. During this time, she also took on a caretaker role for her 
ailing mother. These daunting personal experiences helped Judge Guzman 
understand and appreciate the difficulties that so many people--
especially those who are involved in the criminal justice system--face 
in their day-to-day lives.
  Her lived experience has led her to always show compassion and 
understanding to her own clients as a practicing attorney and to the 
litigants who appear before her as a judge and to ensure that those who 
must navigate our judicial system--especially the indigent and 
marginalized--are always treated fairly and with dignity and respect.
  Finally, Judge Guzman will be a trailblazer. When confirmed, she will 
be the first Latina to serve on the U.S. District Court for the 
District of Massachusetts--a long overdue milestone in a State that has 
nearly 1 million Latinos who call Massachusetts their home. Out of our 
7 million residents, 1 million are Latino.
  Senator Warren and I are proud to recommend Judge Guzman as a nominee 
to President Biden and proud to have that nomination before the whole 
Senate today. Judge Guzman leaves me with no doubt that she will serve 
the people of Massachusetts with distinction as a Federal district 
court judge. I urge all of my colleagues to vote yes on her 
confirmation today.
  Senator Warren and I give you our assurances that she will be a 
superior district court judge representing our entire country.
  I yield the floor.