Biden Nominates Indian American Judge Shalina Kumar as Federal Judge in Michigan
Judge Shalina Kumar. (oakgov.com photo)
India-West Staff Reporter
In his fifth round of nominations for federal judicial positions, President Biden June 30 nominated Indian American Circuit Court Chief Judge Shalina D. Kumar to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Kumar has served on the Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court since 2007, according to a White House press release. She was appointed chief judge of the Circuit Court by the Michigan Supreme Court in January of 2018. In addition to her chief judge duties, Kumar retains a full caseload covering both civil and criminal matters.
Throughout her years on the bench, the release noted, Kumar has served as a presiding judge of the Adult Treatment Court, chairperson of the Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, bench liaison to the Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, a member of the Michigan State Bar Professionalism Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Michigan Judges’ Association.
Prior to taking the bench, Kumar was a civil litigator in private practice from 1997 to 2007, including as an associate with Weiner & Cox P.L.C. from 2004 to 2007 and Sommers, Schwartz, Silver & Schwartz P.C. from 2000 to 2004.
Kumar graduated from the University of Michigan in 1993 and the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law in 1996.
Kumar would be the first federal judge of Indian American and South Asian descent in Michigan, the White House said, adding: “These choices also continue to fulfill the president’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country — both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds.”