Sens. Carper, Coons Commend Nomination of Richard G. Andrews to U.S. District Court in Delaware

WASHINGTON – Today, Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) commended President Obama’s decision to nominate Richard G. Andrews for a seat on the United States District Court in Delaware. The nomination now goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.  

“Last year, I was privileged to provide the President with the names of three highly qualified Delawareans for him to consider for this judicial appointment,” said Sen. Carper. “Any one of them would have done a great job and maintained the high esteem in which this court is held. Richard Andrews is an excellent choice. For the past 30 years, he has served the people of Delaware with distinction in several positions, most recently as State Prosecutor. I know Rich’s knowledge of the law and experience in the courts have prepared him well for a seat on the U.S. District Court. I am committed to working closely with Sen. Coons and my other Senate colleagues to ensure that his nomination moves through the Senate and to a confirmation vote as smoothly and quickly as possible.”  

“Delaware’s courts are known for their excellence, particularly in specialized fields like patent litigation, and in a court as small as ours, every vacancy matters,” said Sen. Coons. “It’s been five years since Delaware has had a full complement of judges on the District Court, putting an undue burden on the other judges forced to carry an increased caseload. The nomination of Richard Andrews will ensure that Delaware continues to play its important role in the protection of American innovation. Mr. Andrews’ experience as a state prosecutor and in the U.S. Attorney’s office shows his commitment to serving the people of Delaware and makes him particularly well qualified to serve on the bench. I look forward to helping move his nomination through the Judiciary Committee and working with Senator Carper to ensure a swift and smooth confirmation.”  

Richard G. Andrews is the State Prosecutor for Delaware, a position he has held since 2007. As the State Prosecutor, Andrews oversees the Criminal Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. From 1983 to 2006, Andrews worked for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware as an Assistant United States Attorney. During his 23-year tenure in that office, Andrews served as Chief of the Criminal Division, First Assistant United States Attorney, and acting United States Attorney. From 1981 to 1982, Andrews clerked for the Honorable Collins J. Seitz of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Andrews received his J.D. in 1981 from University of California at Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law and his B.A. in 1977 from Haverford College.

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