Hawley Applauds White House Announcement of Four Outstanding Missourians to the Federal Bench

Tuesday, May 06, 2025

Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) applauded President Trump’s decision to appoint four outstanding Missourians to fill court vacancies on the Eastern District of Missouri. Senator Hawley has been working with the White House since the beginning of the year to ensure appointments to Missouri vacancies are prioritized.

“This country needs good district court judges now more than ever,” said Senator Hawley. “We need judges that are committed to the rule of law and upholding the Constitution, and I’m ecstatic to see President Trump nominate these outstanding individuals to the federal bench.”

The four nominees include:

Joshua Divine, Solicitor General of the State of Missouri and former Chief Counsel to Senator Hawley. He attended Yale Law School and clerked for United States Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Maria Lanahan, Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the State of Missouri. She attended the University of Chicago School of Law and clerked for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Honorable Cristian Stevens, Judge for the Missouri Court of Appeals – Eastern District and former First Assistant Attorney General of Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri School of Law and clerked for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Zachary Bluestone, Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Missouri and former Deputy Solicitor General of Missouri. He graduated from Harvard Law School and clerked for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The nominees will undergo the full confirmation process within the United States Senate before taking their respective seats to the bench.

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