Magistrate Judge Leon Schydlower Promoted to Federal Bench in Texas
Schydlower is the 190th federal judge confirmed during Joe Biden's presidency.
The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual as an Article III federal judge. With this confirmation, 190 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 146 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.
In a 90-8 vote, Leon Schydlower was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. He is Biden’s second confirmation to the 13-person court, with two additional vacancies awaiting official nominees from the President.
Schydlower assumes the El Paso-based seat previously held by Frank Montalvo, who took senior status in December 2022. A nominee of President George W. Bush, Montalvo served on this court from 2003 to 2022. Schydlower was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in January 2024.
Schydlower worked as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii from 1998 to 2000. He then returned to El Paso - joining the law firm Kemp Smith as an associate. From 2002 to 2015, he worked in private practice as a solo practitioner. Since 2015, he has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
From 1996 to 1998, Schydlower served as a trial attorney on active duty in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. From 2000 to 2004, he was in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Since 2010, he has served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps - currently holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.