John A. Kazen

John A. Kazen
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Incumbent
Assumed office January 12, 2024
Appointed by	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Vanessa Gilmore
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
In office June 13, 2018 – January 12, 2024
Personal details
Born	John Andrew Kazen 1964 (age 59–60) Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.
Parent	George P. Kazen (father)
Education	University of Texas at Austin (BA) University of Houston (JD)

John Andrew Kazen (born 1964)^[1] is an American lawyer from Texas who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas since 2024. He previously served as a United States magistrate judge of the same court from 2018 to 2024.

Education

Kazen received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1987 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center in 1990.^[2]

Career

From 1990 to 1991, Kazen served as a law clerk for Judge Robert Manley Parker of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. From 1991 to 1997, he was a civil litigator at Kemp, Smith, Duncan, & Hammond, P.C. in El Paso. From 1997 to 2018, he was a partner at the law firm he established, Kazen, Meurer, & Pérez, L.L.P. in Laredo.^[2]

Federal judicial service

Kazen was appointed as a United States magistrate judge on June 13, 2018, and sworn in by Judge Diana Saldaña on the same day.^[3]

On August 30, 2023, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Kazen to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.^[2] Kazen was recommended as a district judge by Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.^[4] On September 11, 2023, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Kazen to the seat vacated by Judge Vanessa Gilmore, who retired on January 2, 2022.^[5] On October 4, 2023, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[6] On October 26, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.^[7] On January 8, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 73–15 vote.^[8] On January 9, 2024, his nomination was confirmed by an 83–14 vote.^[9] He received his judicial commission on January 12, 2024,^[10] and he was sworn in by Judge Saldaña on the same day.^[11]

Personal life

Kazen is the son of former Judge George P. Kazen who served on the Southern District from 1979 to 2018.^[12]

References

1. "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
2. "President Biden Names Thirty-Seventh Round of Judicial Nominees and Announces One New Nominee to Serve as U.S. Marshal" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "Appointment of United States Magistrate Judge John A. Kazen, Laredo Division" (Press release). United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. June 13, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
4. Goudsward, Andrew (August 30, 2023). "Biden nominates new federal judges, including first for Texas trial court". Reuters. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
5. "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. September 11, 2023.
6. "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. October 3, 2023.
7. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – October 26, 2023" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
8. "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: John A. Kazen to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas)". United States Senate. January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
9. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: John A. Kazen, of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas)". United States Senate. January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
10. John A. Kazen at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
11. "Appointment of United States District Judge John A. Kazen, Laredo Division". txs.uscourts.gov. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
12. "Laredo magistrate John Kazen nominated by President Biden for U.S. Southern District of Texas Court". www.kgns.tv. August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.

External links

• John A. Kazen at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• John A. Kazen at Ballotpedia

Legal offices
Preceded by Vanessa Gilmore	Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas 2024–present	Incumbent