Biden taps Montana law professor to be 9th Circuit judge

Featured Legal News

President Joe Biden nominated has nominated a University of Montana law professor to be a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Anthony Johnstone is a former solicitor for the state of Montana who has taught at the University of Montana since 2011. He previously worked at a private firm and clerked for Judge Sidney Thomas, who stepped down last year as chief judge for the 9th Circuit.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said in a statement that Johnstone had a track record of applying the law without personal bias.

His nomination must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The 9th Circuit has 29 judgeships and is one the busiest federal appeals courts in the nation.

It handles thousands of cases annually from federal judicial districts in nine western states, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

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Thai National Sentenced, Faces Deportation for Operating Immigration Fraud Scheme

Nimon Naphaeng, 36, a native and citizen of Thailand, who resided in Wakefield, R.I., was sentenced Monday to 27 months in federal prison for running an immigration fraud scheme that defrauded more than 320 individuals, most of them immigrants, of at least $400,000, and perhaps more than $518,000. The scheme included the unauthorized filing of false asylum applications on behalf of individuals who did not request, nor authorize, the applications.

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services does not tolerate immigration fraud of any kind,” said Susan Raufer, director of the USCIS Newark Asylum Office. “We are proud of our role in uncovering this fraud scheme and bringing the perpetrator to justice.”

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered a provisional amount of restitution of $400,000. The final amount of restitution will be determined subject to additional victims being identified and additional court filings over the next 90 days. According to court documents already filed by the government, restitution in this matter may exceed $518,300. During the investigation, the government seized $285,789.31 from Naphaeng. The forfeited funds will be applied toward restitution for victims of Naphaeng’s crimes.