- State Supreme Court Justice James Maxwell’s confirmation vote came hours after his colleague Justice Robert Chamberlin was also confirmed to serve on the U.S. District Court.
The U.S. Senate has voted to confirm Mississippi state Supreme Court Justice James Maxwell to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Maxwell was the second Senate confirmation vote taken Tuesday of a Mississippi presidential nominee to serve on the federal court. His state Supreme Court colleague Justice Robert Chamberlin was also confirmed earlier in the day to serve on the U.S. District Court.
READ MORE: Chamberlin confirmed by U.S. Senate to serve on federal court
The vote in the U.S. Senate was down party lines, with Republicans supporting Maxwell’s confirmation and Democrats voting in opposition. The final tally was 51 to 46, the same vote Chamberlin received.
Upon his nomination to serve on the federal court, President Donald Trump wrote, “Prior to becoming a Justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court, James did an incredible job as Judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals and, also, Assistant U.S. Attorney. I know James will continue to make his State, and Country, proud in his new position by strongly upholding the Rule of Law, and our Constitution.”
Maxwell was appointed by former Governor Phil Bryant to the state Supreme Court in January 2016. He went on to win an eight-year term in November 2016 and was then re-elected in 2024.
Like Chamberlin, Maxwell’s confirmation vote was delayed by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R) over political wrangling between the North Carolina senator and Mississippi’s senior U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R). Both Maxwell and Chamberlin received a straight partisan vote of 12 to 10 out of the Senate Judiciary Committee before their nominations were sent to the full Senate for consideration.
Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) said of Maxwell’s confirmation, “I’m extremely pleased with the confirmation of Justice James Maxwell to serve as a U.S. District Court judge. As he has done on the Mississippi Supreme Court and throughout his career as a jurist, James will continue to exemplify a dedication to careful, principled jurisprudence and to upholding the rule of law. I believe he will serve the Northern District of Mississippi and our nation with distinction.”
