President Obama Nominates Judge Catherine Eagles, Judge Kimberly Mueller and John J. McConnell, Jr. to the United States District Court

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Judge Catherine Eagles, Judge Kimberly Mueller and John J. McConnell, Jr. to the United States District Court.  Judge Eagles is a nominee for the Middle District of North Carolina, Judge Mueller is a nominee for the Eastern District of California and McConnell is a nominee for the District of Rhode Island.

“I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench,” President Obama said.  “They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Court.”

Judge Catherine C. Eagles:  Nominee for the United States District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
Judge Catherine C. Eagles sits as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge of the North Carolina Superior Court, 18th Judicial District.  She has been Senior Resident Judge since 2006 and previously was Resident Judge since 1993.  From 1984 to 1993, she was a civil litigator with the firm now known as Smith Moore Leatherwood in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she became a partner in 1990.  From 1982 to 1984, Judge Eagles was a clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, first as a staff attorney in St. Louis, Missouri, and then for Circuit Judge J. Smith Henley in Harrison, Arkansas.  She received her J.D. in 1982 from the National Law Center at George Washington University and her B.A. in 1979 from Rhodes College.

Judge Kimberly J. Mueller: Nominee for the United States District Court, Eastern District of California
Judge Kimberly J. Mueller is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of California, a position she has held since 2003.  Previously, she was in private practice specializing in intellectual property work, first as an associate attorney with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and then as a sole practitioner in Sacramento.  Judge Mueller has taught as an adjunct faculty member at Pacific McGeorge School of Law and at the U.C. Davis School of Law.  Prior to earning her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1995, Mueller served a five-year term on the Sacramento City Council and was Health and Safety Director of the California Firefighter Foundation.  She received her B.A. from Pomona College in 1981.

John J. McConnell, Jr.:  Nominee for the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island 
Jack McConnell is the managing partner of the Providence, Rhode Island office of Motley Rice LLC, where he directs the environmental practice group.  He received his A.B. from Brown University in 1980 and his J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1983.  After law school, McConnell clerked for The Honorable Donald Shea of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.  After his clerkships, McConnell spent two years in private practice at the Providence firm of Mandell, Goodman, Famiglietti & Schwartz.  In 1986, he joined the firm that is now Motley Rice LLC.  McConnell is Chairman of the Board for the Trinity Repertory Company, Vice-Chair for Crossroads Rhode Island, and Chair of the Providence Tourism Council.