Indian American Shalina Kumar Becomes First Federal Judge of South Asian Descent in Michigan

The Senate last week confirmed the nomination of Judge Shalina Kumar to be the U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, making her the first federal judge of South Asian descent in the state. The Senate voted 44 to 25 along party lines. Thirty-nine Democrats voted yes along with Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow and Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, and independent Angus King of Maine. 

Sens. Peters and Stabenow announced in a press release the confirmations of Kumar and Judge Jane Beckering to be the U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Michigan. “I’m pleased the Senate voted to confirm the nominations of Judge Shalina Kumar and Judge Jane Beckering,” said Sen. Peters. “Judge Kumar is an accomplished jurist whose appointment breaks barriers as the first Michigander of South Asian descent to serve on the federal bench in our state,” he said. “Their confirmation is great news for Michigan,” said Sen. Stabenow.

Kumar has served on the Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court since 2007. She was appointed Chief Judge of the Circuit Court by the Michigan Supreme Court in January of 2018. In addition to her chief judge duties, she retained a full caseload covering both civil and criminal matters. 

Throughout her years on the bench, Kumar has served as a presiding judge of the Adult Treatment Court, the chairperson of the Oakland County Criminal Assignment Committee, the bench liaison to the Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, a member of the Michigan State Bar Professionalism Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Michigan Judges’ Association. 

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Before taking the bench, Judge Kumar was a civil litigator in private practice from 1997 to 2007, including as an associate with Weiner & Cox P.L.C. from 2004 to 2007 and Sommers, Schwartz, Silver & Schwartz P.C. from 2000 to 2004. Judge Kumar graduated from the University of Michigan in 1993 and the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law in 1996.