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  • Judge on senior status, Western District of Washington
  • Senior federal judge
  • Appointed by George W. Bush
  • Confirmed 2007
  • Army veteran
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    Ben Settle

    From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 5 min
    Benjamin Hale Settle

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    Nonpartisan

    United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

    Tenure

    2020 - Present

    Years in position

    2

    Prior offices
    United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

    Education

    Bachelor's

    Claremont McKenna College, 1969

    Law

    Willamette University College of Law, 1972

    Personal
    Birthplace
    Olympia, Wash.


    Benjamin Hale Settle is a federal judge on senior status on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. He joined the court in 2007 after being nominated by President George W. Bush (R). He assumed senior status on January 1, 2020.[1]

    Early life and education[edit]

    A native of Olympia, Washington, Settle graduated from Claremont McKenna College with his bachelor's degree in 1969 and from the Willamette University College of Law with his J.D. in 1972.[1]

    Military service[edit]

    Settle served in the U.S. Army judge advocate general corps from 1973 to 1976.[1]

    Professional career[edit]

    Judicial career[edit]

    Western District of Washington[edit]

    Nomination Tracker
    Fedbadgesmall.png
    Nominee Information
    Name: Benjamin Hale Settle
    Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
    Progress
    Confirmed 225 days after nomination.
    ApprovedANominated: November 15, 2006
    ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified (with one abstention)
    Questionnaire:
    ApprovedAHearing: March 13, 2007
    QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
    ApprovedAReported: April 25, 2007 
    ApprovedAConfirmed: June 28, 2007
    ApprovedAVote: 99-0
    DefeatedAReturned: December 9, 2006

    Settle was first nominated by President George W. Bush on November 15, 2006, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington vacated by Franklin Burgess. The American Bar Association rated Settle Unanimously Qualified (with one abstention). Under provisions of Rule XXXI, paragraph six of the standing rules of the Senate, Settle's nomination was returned to the president on December 9, 2006. President Bush resubmitted the nomination on January 9, 2007. Hearings on Settle's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2007, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on April 25, 2007. Settle was confirmed on a recorded 99-0 vote of the U.S. Senate on June 28, 2007, and he received his commission on July 2, 2007. Settle assumed senior status on January 1, 2020.[1][2][3][4]

    Noteworthy cases[edit]

    R-71 signature release case (2009)
    See also: United States District Court for the Western District of Washington ((dead link) Doe v. Reed, 3:09-cv-05456-BHS)

    For more background information on R-71 please see Washington Referendum 71 (2009) on Ballotpedia.

    On September 8, 2009, Judge Ben Settle ruled against a challenge from a gay rights groups in Washington. The group asked for the release of petition records signed in favor of R-71, which expanded the legal protections of domestic partners.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title The judge found that the methods the Washington Secretary of State's Office used to check the validity of the signatures were legal.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title

    Following the 2010 ruling by the United States Supreme Court in Doe v. Reed that made petition signatures public per Washington's Public Records Act, anti-gay marriage advocates renewed efforts to prevent the names of people who signed the petition from being released. However, on October 17, 2011, Judge Settle ruled on the matter and determined that the signatures could be released. Later that day, Washington officials released copies of the petitions.[5]

    Learn more about this story here.

    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Judge Benjamin Hale Settle," accessed February 8, 2016
    2. ↑ United States Congress, "PN 2180 — Benjamin Hale Settle — The Judiciary," accessed May 19, 2017
    3. ↑ United States Congress, "PN 30 — Benjamin Hale Settle — The Judiciary," accessed May 19, 2017
    4. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees, 110th Congress," accessed May 19, 2017
    5. ↑ Associated Press, "State releases Referendum 71 petition names," October 17, 2011
    Political offices
    Preceded by:
    Franklin Burgess     		Western District of Washington
    2007–2019
    Seat #4     		Succeeded by:
    NA



    Washington courts

    Federal courts:

    Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Washington, Western District of Washington

    State courts:

    Washington Supreme Court • Washington Court of Appeals • Washington Superior Court • Washington District Courts

    State resources:

    Courts in Washington • Washington judicial elections • Judicial selection in Washington

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