Public Defender Mary Kay Lanthier Approved as Federal Judge in Vermont
Lanthier becomes the 208th federal judge confirmed by the Senate 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, 208 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 162 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.
In a 55-42 vote, Mary Kay Lanthier was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont. She is Biden’s first confirmation to the 2-person court, with no additional vacancies at this time. Once commissioned, she will become the youngest judge serving on this court.
Lanthier assumes the Rutland-based seat previously held by Geoffrey W. Crawford, who took senior status in August 2024. A nominee of President Barack Obama, Crawford served on this court from 2014 to 2024 and was Chief Judge from December 2017 to July 2024. Lanthier was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in June 2024.
Lanthier’s legal career began as an associate at Keiner & Dumont PC in Middlebury from 1998 to 2000. From 2000 to 2003, she served as a staff attorney at the Addison County Public Defender’s Office. She then joined Marsh & Wagner PC - as an associate from 2003 to 2004 and as a partner from 2005 to 2007. Since 2007, she has been a supervising attorney at the Rutland County Public Defender’s Office. From 2017 to 2023, she was also a professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School.