September 10th, 2007 - Mr. President, today the Senate has the opportunity to confirm, for district judgeships, William Osteen, Jr. and Martin K. Reidinger, two of North Carolina’s most talented and capable legal minds. Both of these men have impeccable credentials, a keen sense of justice and a strong desire to serve. I’m fully confident that Bill and Martin would serve the people of my home state with great honor and distinction as members of the federal judiciary.
I am delighted to support Bill Osteen, to serve as a judge for the Middle District. With deep roots in North Carolina, Bill received his education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has practiced law in the state for the past two decades. In 2004 and 2005, Business North Carolina included him in its Legal Elite – the cream of the crop, selected not by the editors of the magazine, but by State Bar colleagues.
Bill has broad experience in both criminal and civil litigation. As we all know, criminal cases make up a substantial and increasingly large portion of a federal district judge’s docket, and Bill is well equipped to handle this important aspect of the job. He estimates that he has served as the counsel of record in more than 100 federal criminal cases. Bill also knows his way around the courtroom. In an age when most cases are resolved through settlement or plea agreement, Bill has taken over 30 cases to trial. On the strength of this experience, I have no doubt that he will be able to make the transition to district judge without missing a beat.
In addition to a distinguished professional life, Bill also has a very full personal life. He is a dedicated family man to his wife Elizabeth and their two children, Anne Bennett and Bill, and he is a man of faith, actively involved in the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro. It is also notable that Bill has been nominated to succeed his father to this seat. Bill’s father, William Osteen, Sr., has served the Middle District with great distinction and it is a rare and remarkable feat that a son has the opportunity to serve in his father’s onetime place on the bench. And let me add that Bill’s mother, Joanne, has been a treasured friend since our Duke days together. I know the Osteens are very proud of their son and I am honored to highlight Bill’s many qualifications here today.
Mr. President, another outstanding North Carolinian for the Western District of North Carolina, Martin Reidinger, has built quite an impressive record of accomplishment over the years. Another graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he has practiced law for the past 23 years in Asheville with Adams Hendon Carson Crow & Saenger. There he gained vast civil litigation experience, handling matters running the gamut from employment law to land disputes. He frequently appears in federal courts and has litigated to a verdict or judgment nearly 200 cases over the past two decades.
In addition to his vast professional experience, Martin makes it a top priority to give back to his community. He has served as the president and secretary-treasurer of the Buncombe County Bar Association, and he currently sits on the Board of Directors for Pisgah Legal Services, which provides free, civil legal services to low-income people who are unable to afford an attorney. In fact, in 2004, Martin accepted the North Carolina State Bar’s Outstanding Pro Bono Services Award for his law firm’s commitment to giving back to their community. In addition to his extensive public service work, Martin is dedicated to his family – his wife Patti and children Heather, Sara, Alex and Max.
Mr. President, Bill Osteen and Martin Reidinger are vastly qualified to serve on the federal bench. They have earned the admiration of their colleagues and peers and support from Senators on both sides of the aisle.
It was my privilege to recommend these individuals to the president for these posts, and I am proud to urge my colleagues to support their confirmation today, so they can get to work for the people of North Carolina.
Thank you.
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