Press Release - President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Judge Brian R. Martinotti and Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to serve on the United States District Courts.

"These individuals have had distinguished legal careers and I am honored to ask them to serve as judges on the federal bench," said President Obama. "I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction from the District Court bench."

Judge Brian R. Martinotti: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

Judge Brian R. Martinotti has served as a Judge on the Superior Court of New Jersey since 2002, where he currently serves in the civil division and is one of the state's three multicounty litigation judges handling mass torts. During his tenure on the bench, he also has been assigned to preside over the special environmental, affordable housing, and family law dockets. Previously, from 1987 to 2002, Judge Martinotti worked at the law firm of Beattie Padovano, LLC, where he was elevated to partner in 1994. While at Beattie Padovano, Judge Martinotti also served as a Councilmember for the Borough of Cliffside Park from 1991 to 2002 and took on various roles for other towns as municipal public defender, prosecutor, and tax attorney. He began his legal career by serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Roger M. Kahn of the New Jersey Tax Court from 1986 to 1987. Judge Martinotti received his J.D. cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1986 and his B.S. from Fordham University in 1983.

Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska

Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., is a partner at Fraser Stryker PC LLO in Omaha, Nebraska, where he specializes in labor and employment litigation, primarily in federal court. He joined the law firm as an associate in 1983, was made a shareholder in 1987, and has served on the firm's Management Committee since 2011. Prior to joining Fraser Stryker, Rossiter served as a law clerk to the Honorable C. Arlen Beam of the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska from 1982 to 1983. Rossiter is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and is the immediate past State Chair of that organization. He also is the President-Elect of the Nebraska State Bar Association. Rossiter received his J.D. cum laude from Creighton University School of Law in 1981 and his B.S. from Purdue University in 1978.