[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 22, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONFIRMATION OF GORDON P. GALLAGHER

 Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, today, the Senate voted to 
confirm Judge Gordon Gallagher, nominated to the U.S. District Court 
for the District of Colorado.
  Judge Gallagher earned his B.A. from Macalester College and his J.D. 
from the University of Denver College of Law. After graduating from law 
school, he began a litigation career focused on criminal work. He spent 
a year with Underhill & Underhill, P.C., and then joined the Mesa 
County District Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted a wide range of 
felonies and misdemeanors. Judge Gallagher later entered solo legal 
practice, focusing on criminal defense work. During this time, he 
served as a contract attorney with Alternate Defense Counsel, which 
provides representation to indigent defendants when the local public 
defender is conflicted out of a matter. In total, he has tried 
approximately 275 cases to verdict, including 250 jury trials.
  While remaining a practicing attorney, Judge Gallagher also serves as 
a part-time Federal magistrate judge for the District of Colorado, a 
position he has held since 2012. In this role, Judge Gallagher has 
presided over approximately a dozen criminal misdemeanor and petty 
offense bench trials. He also supervises the District's pro se intake 
division, helping to expedite consideration and resolution of pro se 
matters. Judge Gallagher was unanimously rated ``well qualified'' by 
the ABA and received a bipartisan vote in committee. He has the strong 
support of his home State Senators--Mr. Bennet and Mr. Hickenlooper--
and the Colorado legal and law enforcement community.
  Given his significant trial experience and deep knowledge of Western 
Colorado, I strongly support the nomination of Judge Gallagher and am 
glad to see him confirmed.
  (At the request of Mr. Schumer, the following statement was ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)

                          ____________________