{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ad6c43fa-a667-4cea-9211-8de3e796761e", "SENATE CONFIRMS DEBRA BROWN TO BE U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Thad Cochran", "C000567", "www.cochran.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Audio of Cochran & Wicker floor statements is available below.)\r\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 The U.S. Senate on Monday unanimously confirmed Debra M. Brown of Jackson to be a U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi following recommendations from U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).\r\nBrown, who will fill the seat held by the late District Court Judge Allen Pepper, was confirmed on a 90-0 vote.\u00a0 The Yazoo City native will become the first African American female federal district judge in Mississippi, and one of two female district court judges in the state.\r\nPrior to Monday\u2019s vote, Cochran and Wicker spoke on the Senate floor to recommend confirmation of Brown, who was nominated for the judicial position on May 16, 2013.\r\n\u201cI am confident Debra Brown will serve with distinction as a United States district court judge in Mississippi. Her personal background, educational accomplishments, and legal experience should serve her well as she assumes this important position,\u201d Cochran said.\u00a0 \u201cThe Senate vote is recognition of her qualifications to serve as a member of the federal judiciary.\u201d\r\n\u201cI am thrilled and honored to be part of this historic moment for Mississippi,\u201d Wicker said. \u201cMs. Brown is a proven trailblazer. Our country needs judges who have a record of professional excellence, integrity, and public service.\u00a0 I am confident her service will be good for our nation, our state, and especially good for the city of Greenville, where she will preside. Having a judge who is also an architect would be particularly serendipitous for Greenville, as the federal courthouse there is woefully inadequate and in desperate need of a new state-of-the-art courthouse.\u201d\r\nCochran and Wicker introduced Brown and recommended her approval at the July 10 Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination.\u00a0 The committee approved her nomination in August on a unanimous voice vote.\r\nBrown, a shareholder the Wise Carter Child & Caraway law firm in Jackson, earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Mississippi State University in 1987 and a law degree in 1997 from the University of Mississippi School of Law.\u00a0 Prior to joining Wise Carter Child & Caraway in January 2012, she was a partner with the Phelps Dunbar law firm in Jackson.\r\nBrown is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association, as well as a member of the Mississippi Bar Association, the Magnolia Bar Association and the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association where she has served also as president.\u00a0 She is also a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.\r\nThe 2004 recipient of the Jackson Young Lawyers Outstanding Service Award, Brown was also recognized in 2008 by the Mississippi Business Journal as one of Mississippi\u2019s Leading Business Women.\u00a0 She has also been involved in civic and charitable organizations.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cochran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ad6c43fa-a667-4cea-9211-8de3e796761e"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7916280776262283, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}