President Clinton on Thursday formally nominated Tena Campbell, an assistant U.S. attorney for Utah, to become Utah's first-ever woman federal district court judge.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the panel will hold confirmation hearings on Campbell as soon as possible and praised her nomination."Tena Campbell is an outstanding nominee to the federal bench. As the first woman to serve as a Utah federal judge, she will be fair, honest and knowledgeable," Hatch said.
He added, "She has tried more than 60 felony cases as a federal prosecutor - that's more cases than most lawyers try in their entire career." He said her work has earned the respect of judges as a "hardworking, tough, yet compassionate prosecutor."
Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, also praised the nomination. "She brings nearly 20 years of solid legal experience to this post, where I'm confident she will serve with distinction."
Campbell, 50, is filling a vacancy created when Judge Bruce Jenkins took senior, or part-time, status.
Before she became an assistant U.S. attorney, Campbell was a deputy Salt Lake County attorney in 1982; was an associate with the firm of Fabian & Clendenin from 1979 to 1982; and was an associate for the firm of Johnson, Durham & Moxley from 1977-79.
She received her law degree from Arizona State University in 1977. She also earned a master's degree from Arizona State in 1970. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho in 1967.
Campbell was born in Wendell, Idaho. She is married to Gordon Willie Campbell and is the mother of one child.