Andre Mathis set to become first Black man from Tennessee on Sixth Circuit Court

For the first time in its 131-year history, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit will include a Black man from Tennessee serving as judge.

Andre Mathis, a soon-to-be former attorney from Memphis, secured the nomination following a 48-47 Senate vote Thursday. Sen. John Kennedy, R- Louisiana, was the only Republican Senator to vote in favor of Mathis.

A graduate from Cecil C. Humphrey's School of Law, Mathis was a partner at the Memphis  law firm Butler Snow when he was nominated in 2021. He will be the first Black man from Tennessee and the second Black Tennessean to sit on the circuit court.

The sixth circuit court includes the federal districts of Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky.

In his position with Butler Snow, Mathis was a member of both the Commercial Litigation and the Labor and Employment Groups.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen of Memphis recommended Mathis to President Joe Biden's administration.

"Memphians can be proud of this appointment and confirmation of the first African American man from Tennessee to serve on the Sixth Circuit. I commend the leaders of the U.S. Senate for today’s confirmation vote.  I am confident Judge Mathis will dispense impartial justice and admirably perform his important duties," Cohen said in a statement.

The time period between his nomination and his appointment, roughly 10 months, is the longest waiting period for any Biden circuit nominee, according to Bloomberg Law.

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The nomination process for Mathis was marked by racially-tinged criticisms from Sen. Martha Blackburn, R - Tennessee.

Blackburn eventually dissented against Mathis' 12-10 nomination by Senate members after referring to Mathis' past speeding tickets as a "rap sheet" in January.

In additional to conflating speeding tickets with a criminal record, Blackburn claimed she and fellow Sen. Bill Haggerty, R - Tennessee were not adequately consulted by the Biden administration during the nomination process.

Mathis is endorsed by the Alliance for Justice, progressive judicial advocacy group that focuses on federal judicial nominations.

Mathis was raised in South Memphis and involved himself with several organizations that support low-income youth, including serving as a board member for both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Memphis and Street Ministries.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Andre Mathis of South Memphis appointed to circuit court of appeals