Prosecutor, Defense Lawyer Nominated To Be Federal Judges

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Barack Obama has nominated U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley and defense attorney Claude Kelly III to serve as federal judges in Louisiana.

A White House statement on Thursday says Obama nominated Finley for a seat in the Western District of Louisiana and nominated Kelly to serve as a judge in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Finley has served as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana since 2010. She previously served as a prosecutor in the same district from 1995 to 2010.

Kelly, a longtime criminal defense attorney in New Orleans, has been the head of the Federal Public Defender's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana since 2014.

In a statement, Obama said his nominees "have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity."