Tallahassee, FL -- February 16, 2012 --

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson's office confirms that Mark Walker has been nominated to the federal bench.

Press secretary Bryan Gulley says Walker must still be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee and confirmed by the full senate.

Gulley says there is no clear timeline for that to happen and says it could take months.

Walker says he is not yet cleared to comment on the nomination.

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate
NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Elissa F. Cadish, of Nevada, to be United States District Judge for the District of Nevada, vice Philip M. Pro, retired.

Paul William Grimm, of Maryland, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, vice Benson Everett Legg, retiring.

Jill A. Pryor, of Georgia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, vice Stanley F. Birch, Jr., retired.

Mark E. Walker, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Florida, vice Stephan P. Mickle, retired.

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Tallahassee Judge a Finalist for Federal Bench

UPDATED 8.2.2011 2:30pm by Julie Montanaro

Second circuit judge Mark Walker has just been named a finalist for a seat on the federal bench.

His name, along with those of Gary R. Jones and Monte C. Richardson, has been forwarded to Florida U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio for further consideration.

Walker says he is "very excited." He says he interviewed for the job on Friday in front of a panel of 22 people. Walker says he submitted an application that was "hundreds of pages long" back in June.

Walker was elected to the circuit bench in 2008. He spent the first two years in criminal court and has been in family court since then.

He presided over 75 felony trials in his first two years.

Walker is best known for presiding over the trials of Denielo Bradshaw and Andrea Green, who were convicted of kidnapping and killing TPD police informant Rachel Hoffman.

That case was important, he said, in that it showed the panel he could handle a high publicity death penalty case in his first year.

Walker says it could be months before a decision is made on who gets the job on the Northern District Bench.
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Press Relase from Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission :

FINALISTS NAMED FOR U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE, NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

The Northern District Conference of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission met in Tallahassee on July 29, 2011, to interview applicants for the position of U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Florida.

Pursuant to Rule 27 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure, three finalists have been named for the position of U.S. District Judge: Gary R. Jones, Monte C. Richardson and Mark E. Walker.