The U.S. Senate has confirmed Kent Wetherell to serve as judge in the Northern District of Florida. The moved restores the district to a full bench.
Wetherell will fill a seat that’s been vacant since 2015 when Judge John Smoak moved to senior status. President Barrack Obama had nominated Philip Lammens for the position, but Lammens was never given a confirmation hearing. In 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Wetherell. Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said he’s pleased by the confirmation.
"I think it’s a great day. Judge Wetherell’s going to be a federal judge," Rubio said. "By the way he’s the 7th judge that we’ve now gotten through the system. It took way too long but I’m glad it finally happened. And I have no doubt he’s going to do a great job for Florida and for the country."
Wetherell has served as a judge since 2002 and began practicing law in 1995. He is the son of the late T.K. Wetherell, a former state House speaker and president of Florida State University.
