OPENING STATEMENT OF STUART G. NASH

NOMINEE, ASSOCIATE JUDGE, D.C. SUPERIOR COURT

JULY 16, 2009

Mr. Chairman, and members of the Committee, I am honored to appear before you today, to have you consider my qualifications for a position as an Associate Judge on the D.C. Superior Court.

Before I begin I would like to introduce my family who are here with me today: my wife, Mary; my children Will, Christopher, and Retta; and my father, Gordon. There are a number of people I need to thank today, but, first and foremost, I would like to express my appreciation to my family, who have nourished me for so many years both emotionally and intellectually, and who have made such substantial sacrifices to allow me to pursue a career in public service.

There are a number of people here in the gallery who have been important role models and colleagues at different stages of my professional career, and while I will not take the time to acknowledge them individually, I would like to express my appreciation to them, not only for being here today, but for sharing their wisdom, their integrity, and their good counsel with me on so many different occasions.

I would like to thank the members of the D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission for recommending me to the White House, and President Barack Obama for nominating me.

Finally, I would like to thank this Committee for acting upon my nomination in such a thorough and timely fashion. Throughout the vetting process, the staff of this Committee has treated me with the utmost professionalism and courtesy, for which I would like to express my deep appreciation.

I feel extraordinarily blessed to be under consideration for a position as a judge in this city that I love so well.

I was born in New York City and raised in northern New Jersey, where I attended the public schools. I received my Bachelor's degree from Duke University, and my law degree from Harvard Law School. I gained my great respect for the judicial vocation while clerking for two exceptional jurists, Chief Judge Sam Ervin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and Judge T.S. Ellis, of the Federal District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia.

I worked as a defense attorney for three years at the law firm of Williams & Connolly here in the District of Columbia, and then for over eight years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. In both capacities, I had extensive contact with the D.C. Superior Court, and I came to appreciate the great capacity that exists for dedicated judges on that court to improve the lives of our fellow citizens by presiding over cases fairly, impartially, and with respect for the dignity of the litigants.

For the last four years, I have served in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, as an Associate Deputy Attorney General, directing a nationwide task force that targets the most powerful international drug cartels.

As rewarding as it has been to tackle issues with national and international repercussions, I have never lost my love for the place where I first learned the practice of law – D.C. Superior Court. More often than not, our fellow citizens' interactions with D.C. Superior Court come at a time of crisis in their lives. At that particular moment, there is nothing more important to them than the outcomes of their cases. In light of that, there is an opportunity for a dedicated public servant to affect people's lives for the better in a way that is without parallel anywhere else in government. It is truly where the "rubber meets the road."

I am honored to be considered for this position, and I look forward to answering any questions the Committee might have about my qualifications.

Thank you.