Tymkovich Confirmed By Senate to Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

TYMKOVICH CONFIRMED BY SENATE TO TENTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS

Washington - Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today issued the following statement on the confirmation of President Bush's nominee, Timothy M. Tymkovich, to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit:

"I am pleased that the full Senate has finally confirmed Timothy Tymkovich to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. I firmly believe Mr. Tymkovich will serve with distinction on the federal bench.

"Timothy Tymkovich, a graduate of Colorado College and the University of Colorado School of Law, has worked as a partner in private practice since 1996 with the firm of Hale Hackstaff Tymkovich, representing clients in matters involving state licensing and regulatory issues. He has also acquired some expertise in state and federal election issues, and he has represented a variety of political parties and candidates. Since 1997 he has represented Great Outdoors Colorado, a highly successful state program which devotes lottery monies to fund wildlife and land conservation efforts and state recreation programs.

"Mr. Tymkovich has been a great public servant for the State of Colorado, serving from 1991 to 1996 as the State Solicitor General, where he acted as the chief appellate lawyer for the citizens of Colorado. In that capacity he ably represented the State in state and federal courts, including the Colorado Supreme Court, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He provided legal assistance to the Colorado General Assembly and acted as a liaison to Colorado's congressional delegation. He acted as the Attorney General's delegate to Colorado's judicial selection process. He also worked to reform state criminal, consumer protection and antitrust laws.

"When he left the office of Solicitor General, the Denver Post editorialized, 'In an age in which lawyers and government workers are often held in low esteem, Tymkovich, a member of both groups, has stood in stark contrast to both stereotypes.' The Post added, 'Tymkovich has set a high standard of service.'

"Mr. Tymkovich is well respected by his peers for his professionalism and commitment to the field of law. He is a member of the prestigious American Law Institute, which selects members on the basis of professional achievement and demonstrated interest in the improvement of the law; the International Society of Barristers, an honor society made up of 650 trial attorneys in the United States and elsewhere; the American Bar Foundation, which is the research arm of the American Bar Association; and the Colorado Bar Foundation. He currently serves as Chair of the Colorado State Board of Ethics, which acts to advise the Colorado governor and executive branch on ethics issues.

"From 1999 to 2001 he served as Counsel to the Columbine Review Commission, which was responsible for reviewing all aspects of the 1999 shootings at Columbine High and making recommendations to the Governor regarding ways to respond to, and even prevent, future assaults of the same type. From 1998 to 2000 he served as Chair to the Colorado Governor's Task Force on Civil Justice Reform, which issued findings on the status of civil justice in Colorado and offered recommendations for improvements.

"Mr. Tymkovich's nomination has drawn powerful support from all corners. He enjoys the unqualified endorsements of Colorado Senators Campbell and Allard; a number of former Colorado Supreme Court justices, including Justices Erickson, Dubofsky, Neighbors, Rovira, Quinn, and Scott; Colorado Governor Bill Owens; the Colorado Attorney General, Ken Salazar; and Colorado's major newspapers, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. Significantly Mr. Tymkovich is also supported by former three-term Colorado Governor Roy Romer, who has served as the national vice chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, national co-chairman of the Clinton-Gore '96 campaign, co-chairman of the Democratic National Platform Committee in 1992, and chair of the Democratic Governors' Association in 1991."