Christine Arguello
Encyclopedia
Christine Marie Arguello (born July 15, 1955) is a federal judge
on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
and is a former Colorado state official. Previously, she was a nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
and raised in Buena Vista, Colorado
, Arguello grew up the daughter of a railroad worker who housed his family for a time in a boxcar. Arguello earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder
in 1977—becoming the first member of her family to graduate college—and then she earned a law degree from Harvard Law School
in 1980.
Arguello began her law career as an associate in private practice. She worked for Valdes-Fauli, Cobb & Petry in Miami, Florida from 1980 until 1985, when she joined Holland & Hart
as a senior associate. Arguello was promoted to a partner at Holland & Hart in 1988.
In 1991, Arguello joined the University of Kansas School of Law
as an associate professor. She was promoted to full professor in 1998.
In 1999, Arguello took a job at the University of Colorado
, but changed her mind before ever teaching a class, choosing instead to join the Colorado Attorney General's office as a Deputy Attorney General, working alongside then-Attorney General Ken Salazar
from 1999 until 2002.
took senior status. (Arguello previously had been considered by Clinton for a nomination to a district-court seat.) Clinton previously had nominated James Lyons
to the seat in September 1999, but withdrew Lyons' nomination in June 2000. Since Arguello was nominated after July 1, 2000, the unofficial start date of the Thurmond Rule
during a presidential election year, no hearings were scheduled on her nomination, and the nomination was returned to Clinton at the end of his term. President George W. Bush chose not to renominate Arguello to the Tenth Circuit.
Later, President George W. Bush nominated Timothy Tymkovich
in 2003 to the Tenth Circuit seat to which Arguello had been originally nominated. Tymkovich won Senate confirmation later that same year.
's Sturm College of Law
in 2003. In April 2006, she took a leave of absence from Davis Graham to join the University of Colorado
as its Managing Senior Associate University Counsel. She held that job until she became a federal judge.
of Colorado submitted Arguello's name to the White House as part of a list of seven names for the president to consider nominating to three vacant U.S. District Court judgeships. On April 3, 2008, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar
of Colorado (Arguello's old boss), included Arguello's name in a list of three names that Salazar was recommending that the president nominate. Arguello's name was included as one of three that the two senators eventually jointly forwarded to the White House. On May 17, 2008, a television station in Denver reported that the White House
had accepted Arguello as a Colorado district court nominee. On July 10, 2008, Arguello was officially nominated by President George W. Bush
to a vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
created by the retirement of Judge Walker D. Miller. On September 9, 2008, she received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was voted out of committee two weeks later on September 25.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Arguello to her district court seat in a voice vote on September 26, 2008. She received her commission on October 21, 2008, and her formal investiture ceremony took place on December 5, 2008.
. "I said 'yes,'" she told the station. "I wouldn't have gone this far if I didn't think I could serve my country in this way."
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Colorado. The United States Congress organized Colorado as a single judicial district on June 26, 1876, by 19 Stat. 61...
and is a former Colorado state official. Previously, she was a nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Background
Born in Thatcher, ColoradoThatcher, Colorado
Thatcher is an unincorporated town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Model now serves Thatcher postal addresses.- Geography :Thatcher is located at ....
and raised in Buena Vista, Colorado
Buena Vista, Colorado
Buena Vista is a Statutory Town in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,195 at the 2000 census.Buena Vista is located in central Colorado roughly midway between Salida and Leadville in the Upper Arkansas River Valley at an elevation of . The area between Buena Vista and...
, Arguello grew up the daughter of a railroad worker who housed his family for a time in a boxcar. Arguello earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
in 1977—becoming the first member of her family to graduate college—and then she earned a law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1980.
Arguello began her law career as an associate in private practice. She worked for Valdes-Fauli, Cobb & Petry in Miami, Florida from 1980 until 1985, when she joined Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart
Since its inception in 1947, Holland & Hart has grown into a firm of more than 400 lawyers in 15 United States offices in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and the District of Columbia...
as a senior associate. Arguello was promoted to a partner at Holland & Hart in 1988.
In 1991, Arguello joined the University of Kansas School of Law
University of Kansas School of Law
The University of Kansas School of Law is a public law school located on the main campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The University of Kansas Law School was founded in 1893, replacing the earlier Department of Law, which had existed since 1878. The school has more than 50...
as an associate professor. She was promoted to full professor in 1998.
In 1999, Arguello took a job at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado System
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
, but changed her mind before ever teaching a class, choosing instead to join the Colorado Attorney General's office as a Deputy Attorney General, working alongside then-Attorney General Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
from 1999 until 2002.
Tenth Circuit nomination under Clinton
On July 27, 2000, President Clinton nominated Arguello to the seat on the Tenth Circuit that opened up when John Carbone PorfilioJohn Carbone Porfilio
John Carbone Porfilio is a United States federal judge.Born in Denver, Colorado, Porfilio received a B.A. from the University of Denver in 1956 and an LL.B. from the University of Denver College of Law in 1959. He was in private practice in Denver, Colorado from 1959 to 1962. He was an Assistant...
took senior status. (Arguello previously had been considered by Clinton for a nomination to a district-court seat.) Clinton previously had nominated James Lyons
James Lyons (lawyer)
James M. Lyons is an attorney at law in Denver, Colorado. He is a commercial trial lawyer with extensive public service.- Early life and education :...
to the seat in September 1999, but withdrew Lyons' nomination in June 2000. Since Arguello was nominated after July 1, 2000, the unofficial start date of the Thurmond Rule
Thurmond Rule
The Thurmond Rule is an informal and somewhat amorphous rule of thumb in the United States Senate. While it originated with former Senator Strom Thurmond's opposition to President Lyndon Johnson's nomination of Justice Abe Fortas to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in June of 1968, its...
during a presidential election year, no hearings were scheduled on her nomination, and the nomination was returned to Clinton at the end of his term. President George W. Bush chose not to renominate Arguello to the Tenth Circuit.
Later, President George W. Bush nominated Timothy Tymkovich
Timothy Tymkovich
Timothy Michael Tymkovich is a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.-Background:...
in 2003 to the Tenth Circuit seat to which Arguello had been originally nominated. Tymkovich won Senate confirmation later that same year.
Later work
After leaving the Colorado Attorney General's office, Arguello joined the firm of Davis, Graham & Stubbs in Denver in 2003, and also served as a visiting professor at the University of DenverUniversity of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
's Sturm College of Law
Sturm College of Law
The University of Denver Sturm College of Law is one of two law schools in the state of Colorado, and the only law school in the Denver metro area. Founded in 1892, the Sturm College of Law is one of the first in America's Mountain West...
in 2003. In April 2006, she took a leave of absence from Davis Graham to join the University of Colorado
University of Colorado System
The University of Colorado system is a system of public universities in Colorado consisting of three universities in four campuses: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, and University of Colorado Denver in downtown Denver and at the Anschutz Medical Campus in...
as its Managing Senior Associate University Counsel. She held that job until she became a federal judge.
Colorado district court nomination under Bush
On January 30, 2008, U.S. Sen. Wayne AllardWayne Allard
Alan Wayne Allard is a member of the Republican Party, and was a United States Senator from Colorado. He did not seek re-election in 2008.-Early life:...
of Colorado submitted Arguello's name to the White House as part of a list of seven names for the president to consider nominating to three vacant U.S. District Court judgeships. On April 3, 2008, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar
Ken Salazar
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Salazar is the current United States Secretary of the Interior, in the administration of President Barack Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a United States Senator from Colorado from 2005 to 2009. He and Mel Martinez were the first Hispanic U.S...
of Colorado (Arguello's old boss), included Arguello's name in a list of three names that Salazar was recommending that the president nominate. Arguello's name was included as one of three that the two senators eventually jointly forwarded to the White House. On May 17, 2008, a television station in Denver reported that the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
had accepted Arguello as a Colorado district court nominee. On July 10, 2008, Arguello was officially nominated by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to a vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Colorado. The United States Congress organized Colorado as a single judicial district on June 26, 1876, by 19 Stat. 61...
created by the retirement of Judge Walker D. Miller. On September 9, 2008, she received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was voted out of committee two weeks later on September 25.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Arguello to her district court seat in a voice vote on September 26, 2008. She received her commission on October 21, 2008, and her formal investiture ceremony took place on December 5, 2008.
2009 U.S. Supreme Court vacancy
On May 18, 2009, Arguello confirmed to a Denver television station that she had been approached by White House intermediaries one week earlier about being considered to fill a seat on the Supreme Court of the United StatesSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. "I said 'yes,'" she told the station. "I wouldn't have gone this far if I didn't think I could serve my country in this way."
See also
- Barack Obama Supreme Court candidatesBarack Obama Supreme Court candidatesPresident Barack Obama has made two successful appointments to the Supreme Court of the United States. The first was that of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Associate Justice David H. Souter. Sotomayor was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 6,...
- Bill Clinton judicial appointment controversies
- George W. Bush judicial appointment controversiesGeorge W. Bush judicial appointment controversiesDuring President George W. Bush's two term tenure in office, he nominated thirty-nine people for twenty-seven different federal appellate judgeships that were blocked by the Senate Democrats either directly in the Senate Judiciary Committee or on the full Senate floor using a filibuster....