Senate should confirm Al Diaz, Jim Wynn to court, would add much to the U.S. 4th Circuit.

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The U.S. Senate has the opportunity to add two outstanding judges to the federal appeals court overseeing cases from North Carolina and four other southeastern states. A Senate committee should endorse President Barack Obama's nominations of Superior Court Judge Albert Diaz of Charlotte and N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Jim Wynn of Raleigh to the court and the full Senate should give its consent in a timely way.

A hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington this afternoon gives senators the chance to hear from the two judges and ask questions about their backgrounds, service and other qualifications. What they'll learn is that Diaz and Wynn have admirable records on and off the bench that would bring considerable experience and sound judgment to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond.

North Carolina is the largest state in the 4th Circuit, but since 1999 it has had no more than one judge on the 15-member court, which reviews lower court decisions from North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. Judge Allyson Duncan is the only judge from North Carolina on the court, depriving the residents of this state of outstanding judges who are well-versed in the unique dimensions and thrust of N.C. law, and also depriving the 4th Circuit of the breadth and depth of scholarly research, thought and writing that North Carolinians would bring to the court.

We believe Al Diaz and Jim Wynn are extremely well-qualified for the court. That's also the judgment of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which rates candidates for federal judgeships.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/story/1126634.html


A report on today's Judiciary hearing on their nomination:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7247175