Allen Cothrel Winsor (born September 9, 1976)United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
Biography
Winsor received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Auburn University and a Juris Doctor from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as editor-in-chief of the Florida Law Review.
After law school, Winsor served as a law clerk to Judge Edward Earl Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. From 2003 to 2005, he was an associate at King & Spalding. He later was a partner in the Tallahassee office of Gray Robinson, where he focused on civil and appellate litigation.
He then joined the Florida Attorney General's office and served for three years as Solicitor General of Florida, under A.G. Pam Bondi. In that position, he defended Florida's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages that was eventually struck down, contending in a legal brief for Florida that recognizing same-sex marriages from other states would ostensibly "impose significant public harm" and that Florida possessed a legitimate interest in restricting marriage as exclusively between men and women.
In 2016, Governor Rick Scott appointed him to the Florida First District Court of Appeal, where he served until being appointed to the federal district court by President Donald Trump.
Ashley Schapitl, a spokeswoman for California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, said Feinstein voted in opposition to Winsor's confirmation because of his role "defending laws that would restrict women's reproductive rights and the prohibition of same-sex marriage." She further mentioned that Winsor assisted Florida in joining an action contesting power plant emissions rules written by the Obama administration.
Federal judicial service
On April 10, 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Winsor to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. He was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge Robert Hinkle, who assumed senior status on November 7, 2016."Ten Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", The White House, April 10, 2018 On May 23, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for May 23, 2018 On June 14, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–10 vote.Results of Executive Business Meeting – June 14, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic Senator Bill Nelson of Florida supported his nomination.Democrats oppose Florida judge despite backing from Nelson, Associated Press, Gary Fineout, June 14, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
On January 3, 2019, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, Trump announced his intent to renominate Winsor for a federal judgeship."President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019 His nomination was sent to the Senate later that day."Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019 On February 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee On June 18, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 54–42 vote.On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Allen Cothrel Winsor to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), United States Senate, June 18, 2019 On June 19, 2019, he was confirmed by a 54–44 vote, with Democrat Joe Manchin voting for him.On the Nomination (Confirmation Allen Cothrel Winsor, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida), June 19, 2019 He received his judicial commission on June 21, 2019. He became chief judge in June 2025.
Memberships
He has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2005.
References
External links
Appearances at the U.S. Supreme Court from the Oyez Project