Thomas Owen Rice is a federal prosecutor and current federal judicial nominee to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the following counties of the state of Washington: Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln,...

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Early life and education

Born in Spokane, Washington

Spokane, Washington

Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...

, Rice earned a bachelor's degree from Gonzaga University

Gonzaga University

Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...

 in 1983 and a law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law

Gonzaga University School of Law

The Gonzaga University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Gonzaga University, located in Spokane, Washington, USA. Established in 1912, the law school is viewed as a strong institution in the Pacific Northwest, and is the only law school in the State of Washington...

 in 1986.

Professional career

From 1986 until early 1987, Rice worked for the United States Department of Justice

United States Department of Justice

The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...

 as a trial attorney in Washington in the department's tax division.

Since 1987, Rice has worked in the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington. He has been an Assistant United States Attorney since 1987. He served as the deputy criminal chief for his prosecutor's office from 2000 until 2003, and then was the criminal chief from 2003 until 2006. Since 2006, he has been a First Assistant United States Attorney.

Nomination to federal district court

On June 29, 2011, President Obama nominated Rice to the seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington that had been vacated by Judge Robert H. Whaley

Robert H. Whaley

-Early life and education:Born in Huntington, West Virginia, Whaley received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1965, and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 1968.-Career:...

, who took senior status

Senior status

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...

 in 2009.

Rice's nomination currently is pending before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary

The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...

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