Hala Yalda Jarbou (born 1971)[1] is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. She is the first Chaldean federal judge.[2]

Hala Y. Jarbou
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Assumed office
July 18, 2022
Preceded byRobert James Jonker
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
Assumed office
September 23, 2020
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byRobert Holmes Bell
Judge of the 6th Circuit Court of Michigan
In office
October 20, 2015 – September 23, 2020
Appointed byRick Snyder
Preceded byColleen O'Brien
Succeeded byYasmine I. Poles
Personal details
Born1971 (age 52–53)
Tel Kaif, Iraq
EducationUniversity of Michigan–Dearborn (BBA)
Wayne State University (JD)

Education

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Jarbou earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan–Dearborn, with high distinction, and her Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University Law School.[3]

Career

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After graduating from law school, Jarbou served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, where she prosecuted general felony offenses, homicides, child sexual assault, and high-profile felony cases. In 2010, she became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, where she prosecuted cases involving drug and firearms offenses, child pornography, and high-level drug trafficking.[3] She was an associate professor of the Paralegal Program at Oakland University from April–July 2005.[4]

State judicial service

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On October 20, 2015, Jarbou was appointed to be a judge on the Oakland County Circuit Court by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to the vacancy left by Judge Colleen O'Brien, who was appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals.[5] She was sworn in on January 20, 2016.[6] Her service on the state court terminated when she received her judicial commission as a federal judge.

Federal judicial service

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On March 11, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Jarbou to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan. On March 18, 2020, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Jarbou to the seat vacated by Judge Robert Holmes Bell, who assumed senior status on January 31, 2017.[7] A hearing on her nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on June 24, 2020.[8] On July 30, 2020, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 18–4 vote.[9] On September 9, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by an 80–15 vote.[10] On September 10, 2020, her nomination was confirmed by an 83–15 vote.[11] She received her judicial commission on September 23, 2020. She became chief judge on July 18, 2022.[12]

Memberships

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Jarbou is a member of the following:[4]

Personal life

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Jarbou was born in 1971 in Tel Keppe (Tel Kaif), Iraq and now resides in West Bloomfield. She is an ethnic Assyrian and belongs to the Chaldean Catholic denomination.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Hala Jarbou" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Trump Nominates First Chaldean for Federal Bench". www.aina.org. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominee and United States Marshal Nominee". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.
  4. ^ a b "Hon. Hala Jarbou". www.oakgov.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  5. ^ Halcom, Chad (October 20, 2015). "Matis, Jarbou appointed to vacancies at Oakland County Circuit Court". Crain's Detroit Business. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  6. ^ "Welcomed to the bench: Judge Jarbou gets officially sworn in". www.legalnews.com. February 3, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  7. ^ "Eight Nominations and One Withdrawal Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov – via National Archives.
  8. ^ "Nominations | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". www.judiciary.senate.gov. June 24, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 30, 2020, Senate Judiciary Committee" (PDF).
  10. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Hala Y. Jarbou to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan)". www.senate.gov.
  11. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Hala Y. Jarbou, of Michigan, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Michigan)". www.senate.gov.
  12. ^ Hala Y. Jarbou at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  13. ^ "Trump Nominates First Chaldean for Federal Bench". March 13, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the 6th Circuit Court of Michigan
2015–2020
Vacant
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
2020–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan
2022–present