The first Obama judicial appointment to be approved by the Senate is Magistrate Judge Diana Saldana. Judge Saldana replaces Judge George Kazen in Laredo. See story.
This is an unfortunate reflection on the state of federal politics. The Obama administration is two years old and just now, the first Texas appointment has been approved. Numerous judicial vacancies remain. Obama has provided several nominees to the Senate. But, due to Senate politics, they remain unattended.
Judge Saldana began life as a migrant farm worker. She will bring much needed balance to a federal judiciary saddled with far too many judges who have never had a real job outside of a major law firm. I have had too many job related lawsuits dismissed from court based on unrealistic expectations of the workplace by judges who have had little experience outside the paneled walls of a major law firm.