WASHINGTON – President Obama’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine will receive a hearing next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

If that goes well and the committee reports out her nomination, the next step for Nancy Torresen would be a confirmation vote before the full Senate.

The hearing to consider the nominations of Torresen and four other federal court nominees from other states is set for Wednesday, the committee announced this afternoon.

Torresen is currently assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. Obama nominated her in early March to fill the seat being vacated by Judge D. Brock Hornby. Hornby was nominated in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush and went on senior status last year, but continues to handle a full case load.

Torresen was recommended for the post by Maine’s two Democratic U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud. The lawmakers initially recommended Michaela Murphy, a Maine Superior Court justice, for the job, but she encountered health problems, described as not disabling but time consuming, and ultimately withdrew her name late last fall before she was ever nominated.

Both of Maine’s GOP U.S. senators, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, had submitted the “blue slips” home state senators give to the judiciary committee if they have no objection to a confirmation hearing being held.
 

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