[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONFIRMATION OF ROBERT STEWART BALLOU

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, today, the Senate voted to confirm Judge 
Robert Ballou to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of 
Virginia.
  Born in Roanoke, VA, Judge Ballou received both his bachelor's degree 
and J.D. from the University of Virginia. After clerking for Judge 
Peter H. Beer on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of 
Louisiana, Judge Ballou began his legal career at Christian, Barton, 
Epps, Brent & Chappell as an associate, where he worked on a variety of 
matters, including insurance defense, products liability, and traffic 
and misdemeanor offenses. He then went on to work for Johnson, Ayers & 
Matthews, PLC as an associate, where he tried more than 50 cases to 
verdict before a jury, including matters involving personal injury, 
products liability, and construction defects. In 2011, Judge Ballou was 
appointed to serve as a U.S. magistrate judge for the same district to 
which he is now nominated. As a magistrate, he has presided over 
approximately 300 cases.
  The American Bar Association rated Judge Ballou unanimously ``well 
qualified,'' and he has the strong support of Senators Warner and 
Kaine. Judge Ballou's deep ties to the Virginia legal community, 
combined with his significant courtroom experience, will make him an 
excellent addition to the Federal district court bench.
  I was pleased to support his nomination.

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