Joshua P. Kolar

Joshua Paul Kolar (born 1976)^[1] is an American lawyer from Indiana who has served as a circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit since 2024. He previously served as a United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana from 2019 to 2024.

Joshua P. Kolar
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Incumbent
Assumed office January 31, 2024
Appointed by	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Michael Stephen Kanne
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
In office January 1, 2019 – January 31, 2024
Preceded by	Paul R. Cherry
Succeeded by	Abizer Zanzi
Personal details
Born	Joshua Paul Kolar 1976 (age 47–48) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education	Northwestern University (BA, JD)
Civilian awards	Drug Enforcement Administration, Certificate of Appreciation (x3) Federal Bureau of Investigation, Certification of Appreciation (x3)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy United States Navy Reserve
Years of service	2009–Present
Rank	Lieutenant Commander
Unit	United States Indo-Pacific Command
Battles/wars	Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Freedom's Sentinel
Military awards	See list Defense Meritorious Service Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award National Defense Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with two Campaign Stars Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon Armed Forces Reserve Medal Non-Article 5 NATO ISAF Medal Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon [1]

Education

Kolar received a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in 1999 and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2003.^[2]

Career

From 2005 to 2006, Kolar served as a law clerk for Judge Wayne Andersen of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. From 2003 to 2005 and 2006 to 2007, he was an associate at Mayer Brown in their Chicago office. From 2007 to 2018, he served as an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana. Kolar also serves as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy Reserve. He has served in the U.S. Navy Reserve since 2009 and was on active duty in Afghanistan from 2014 to 2015.^[2][3]

Federal judicial service

Magistrate judge

In 2018, Kolar was selected as a United States magistrate judge for the Northern District of Indiana in the Hammond division.^[4] He filled the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Paul R. Cherry.^[5] He assumed office on January 1, 2019.^[6]

Court of appeals

On July 27, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Kolar to serve as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.^[7] President Biden nominated Kolar to the seat vacated by Judge Michael Stephen Kanne, who died on June 16, 2022.^[8] Republican Senator Todd Young released a statement after the president nominated Kolar, stating that he supports Kolar.^[9] On September 6, 2023, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[10] During his confirmation hearing, he was questioned by Senator Marsha Blackburn over a case that he presided in 2019.^[11] On September 28, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–5 vote.^[12][13][14] On January 3, 2024, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate;^[15] and he was renominated on January 8, 2024.^[16] On January 18, 2024, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–5 vote.^[17][18] On January 25, 2024, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 66–29 vote.^[19] On January 30, 2024, his nomination was confirmed by a 66–25 vote.^[20] He received his judicial commission on January 31, 2024.^[21]

References

1. "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
2. "President Biden Names Thirty-Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. Raymond, Nate (July 27, 2023). "Biden nominates 2 US Navy Reserve officers to federal appeals courts". Reuters. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
4. Ross, Doug (2018-08-13). "Kolar named Region's new federal magistrate". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
5. "Selection of Magistrate Judge in Hammond Division" (Press release). United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. August 13, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
6. "Joshua P. Kolar | United States Courts". www.uscourts.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
7. Staff, Times (2023-07-27). "Hammond-based federal judge to be nominated to U.S. Court of Appeals". nwitimes.com. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
8. "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 27, 2023.
9. "Young Statement on Nomination of Judge Joshua P. Kolar to Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals" (Press release). Retrieved July 27, 2023.
10. "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. September 5, 2023.
11. Carson, Daniel. "Kolar fields 1st questions from Senate Judiciary Committee as 7th Circuit nominee". The Indiana Lawyer. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
12. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – September 28, 2023" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
13. Headley, Tiana. "Biden Bipartisan Circuit Court Picks Advance Out of Committee". Bloomberg Law. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
14. Weiss, Benjamin S. (September 28, 2023). "Durbin praises bipartisanship as Senate advances more judicial nominees". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
15. "PN905 — Joshua Paul Kolar — The Judiciary". congress.gov. January 8, 2023.
16. "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. January 8, 2024.
17. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – January 18, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
18. "Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Twenty Judicial Nominations, One Executive Nomination to the Full Senate" (Press release). United States Senate Judiciary Committee. January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
19. "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Joshua Paul Kolar to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit)". United States Senate. January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
20. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Joshua Paul Kolar, of Indiana, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit)". United States Senate. January 30, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
21. Joshua P. Kolar at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links

• Joshua P. Kolar at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Joshua P. Kolar at Ballotpedia

Legal offices
Preceded by Michael Stephen Kanne	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 2024–present	Incumbent