Press Release - President Obama Nominates Two to the United States District Court

WASHINGTON-Today, President Obama nominated Judge Sharon L. Gleason and Judge Susan Owens Hickey to seats on the United States District Court.

"Throughout their careers these individuals have shown a dedication to justice," said President Obama. "I am proud to nominate them to serve the American people from the district court bench."

Judge Sharon L. Gleason: Nominee for the United States District Court for the District of Alaska

Judge Sharon L. Gleason is the Presiding Judge of the Third Judicial District of the Alaska Superior Court in Anchorage, Alaska, a position she has held since 2009. Judge Gleason was appointed to the Superior Court in 2001 and was retained by Alaska voters in 2004 and 2010. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she spent seventeen years in private practice. Most recently, Judge Gleason was a sole practitioner from 1995 until her judicial appointment. From 1984 to 1995, she worked at the firm of Reese, Rice and Volland, which later became known as Rice, Volland, Gleason and Taylor. Judge Gleason served as a law clerk to then-Chief Justice Edmond Burke of the Alaska Supreme Court from 1983 to 1984. She received her J.D. in 1983 from UC Davis School of Law, and her B.A., magna cum laude, in 1979 from Washington University in St. Louis.

Judge Susan Owens Hickey: Nominee for the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

Judge Susan Owens Hickey is currently a Circuit Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit for the State of Arkansas in El Dorado, Arkansas. As Circuit Judge, Judge Hickey has jurisdiction over civil, criminal, juvenile, domestic relations, and probate matters in six counties. Prior to taking the bench in 2010, Judge Hickey was a career judicial law clerk to the Honorable Harry Barnes of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. She previously was staff attorney at Murphy Oil Corporation from 1981 to 1984. Judge Hickey received her J.D. in 1980 from the University of Arkansas School of Law and her B.A. in 1977 from the University of Arkansas.