After a record-breaking wait of more than one year, Jane Branstetter Stranch has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the Sixth Circuit vacancy left when Judge Daughtrey assumed senior status. The Senate voted 71 to 21 in favor of Stranch, who has waited longer than any other Obama nominee for confirmation from the Senate, the Nashville Post reports.
Stranch was born on Sept. 17, 1953 in Nashville and received her undergraduate and law degree from Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt School of Law, respectively.
Her law practice centered around labor and employment law, specializing in ERISA litigation.
With the confirmation of Judge Stranch, the Sixth Circuit once again has a full complement of 16 active judges. In recent years, the Sixth Circuit has had close to 16, but about a decade ago, it was down in the single digits. With the Circuit again at full strength, practitioners can expect cases to move a bit faster than in some prior years.