Indian American Shalina Kumar Nominated as Federal Judge

Biden administration nominated Indian American Shalina Kumar as a federal judge to the District Court of Michigan.

In the fifth round of judicial nominations, President Joe Biden has announced the nomination of Shalina D Kumar as a federal judge. Her nomination has been made to the District Court of the Eastern District of Michigan.

If approved, Shalina D Kumar would be the first person of South Asian descent to be a federal Judge in the District Court of Michigan.

Kumar studied at the Michigan University and was a civil litigator till 2007 when she joined the bench. She has served the Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court since. In 2018, she took over as Chief Judge of the Court and presides over both criminal and civil matters.

"Throughout her years on the bench, Judge Kumar has served as a presiding judge of the Adult Treatment Court, the Chairperson of the Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, the bench liaison to the Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, a member of the Michigan State Bar Professionalism Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Michigan Judges’ Association," the press release said.

The White House press release dated 30 June has been welcomed heartily by organisations and those in office alike. Senator Gary Peters issued a statement to express his satisfaction with these nominations and his support to Kumar. The NAPABA was among those who applauded the nomination of the AAPI community members to higher positions in the legal system of the United States.

NAPABA applauds nomination of Jennifer Sung to the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit and Shalina Kumar to the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Read our full statement here: https://t.co/XDsfzx4pbO pic.twitter.com/0oV6v2nD7o

— National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (@NAPABA) June 30, 2021