Pryor Confirmed to Seventh Circuit as Schumer Tees Up More Votes

Doris Pryor was confirmed by a bipartisan margin to the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit as Senate Democrats readied two other appellate nominees for test votes.

The US magistrate judge won confirmation to the Chicago-based court on Monday, 60-31. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also teed up votes to end debate on Third Circuit nominee Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves and Fifth Circuit nominee Dana M. Douglas.

Pryor’s confirmation was the first for an appellate seat since congressional midterm elections. Democrats retained their Senate majority for the next two years in the November balloting, so they’re under less pressure to confirm judicial nominees during the year-end lame duck session. Eleven circuit nominees are pending.

Like many Biden administration judicial nominees, Pryor has experience in public defense. She was a deputy with the Arkansas Public Defender’s Commission before becoming a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Indiana.