[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Nomination of Karoline Mehalchick

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise this morning to share my strong 
support for the judicial nominee that we are about to vote on, Judge 
Karoline Mehalchick. Judge Mehalchick has been nominated to serve on 
the Middle District Court of Pennsylvania. That is one of our three 
Federal judicial districts. Upon confirmation, she would sit in the 
Federal courthouse in my hometown of Scranton, PA, where she has 
already been serving with distinction for over 10 years as a Federal 
magistrate judge.
  Born and raised in Lackawanna County, Judge Mehalchick went on to 
attend and graduate from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State 
University before heading to Tulane Law School in Louisiana.
  Fortunately for Pennsylvania, Judge Mehalchick returned home after 
graduation and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Trish Corbett on 
the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County. From there, she worked 
as an associate and partner at the law firm of Oliver Price & Rhodes in 
Scranton, before being appointed as a U.S. magistrate judge for the 
Middle District of Pennsylvania in July of 2013.
  In 2021, she was appointed chief U.S. magistrate judge in the Middle 
District, and upon her appointment, the then-chief judge of the Middle 
District Court, Judge John Jones III, commented that she has been an 
``exemplary and hardworking jurist'' and that he had ``every confidence 
that she will . . . serve with distinction.'' I think his confidence 
was well placed, based upon her service.
  Judge Jones, the then-chief judge of the Middle District, was 
nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate some 
20 years ago.
  Judge Mehalchick has proved to be a strong leader in both the Middle 
District and across the Nation, during her time on the bench. She has 
served as cochair of the Middle District's Prisoner Litigation 
Settlement Program and presided over the Scranton CARE court. She has 
also served on the magistrate judges' advisory group of the 
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and was appointed in 2021 by 
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the Judicial 
Conference Committee on Codes of Conduct.
  Her reputation and commitment to the Middle District are further 
highlighted by the numerous letters of support that she has received 
from fellow members of the judiciary. The former chief, Judge Jones, as 
I mentioned earlier, in another statement of support, spoke of Judge 
Mehalchick's ``exemplary character,'' her hard work, impressive 
temperament, ``brilliant'' writing, and dedication to the rule of law. 
This former chief judge further wrote:

       The greatest appellation that I can award to a fellow 
     jurist is that she is a ``judge's judge.'' This fits Judge 
     Mehalchick perfectly.

  Another retired judge, Thomas Vanaskie, who served on both the 
District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. 
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit said as follows:

       [Judge Mehalchick] has the legal acumen, personal 
     discipline, exceptional work ethic, sense of fairness, and 
     compassion to be an outstanding member of the Federal 
     judiciary.

  Her nomination has garnered support even beyond the legal community 
throughout Pennsylvania. The president of the Greater Scranton Chamber 
of Commerce, Bob Durkin, wrote about the ``first-rate judiciary of the 
Middle District'' and highlighted how Judge Mehalchick ``has been a 
critical player in this institution,'' and that her confirmation ``will 
further strengthen and bring honor to that bench.''
  Judge Mehalchick has dedicated her career to the people--the people--
of the Middle District, from her legal practice and judicial service to 
her community work with organizations such as the Ballet Theatre of 
Scranton.
  Throughout her legal career and particularly during the past decade, 
sitting as a U.S. magistrate judge, she has undoubtedly demonstrated 
that she has the temperament and experience to faithfully serve the 
people of the Middle District.
  I am pleased that the Senate is moving forward with her confirmation 
vote today. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on her confirmation.
  I yield the floor.

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