The U.S. Senate has confirmed two prominent Missouri legal figures to serve as federal judges on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Joshua M. Divine, the state’s Solicitor General, and Maria A. Lanahan, the Principal Deputy Solicitor General, received bipartisan support in their confirmations.
Joshua Divine has served as Missouri’s Solicitor General and Director of Special Litigation. A graduate of Yale Law School, he clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Eleventh Circuit Chief Judge William Pryor. Divine has led the Attorney General’s Office in several high-profile cases, including the successful challenge to President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, which saved taxpayers $475 billion. He also played a pivotal role in defending Missouri’s laws protecting children from certain medical procedures. ([ago.mo.gov](https://ago.mo.gov/president-trump-names-two-members-of-missouri-attorney-general-offices-team-to-serve-as-federal-judgeships/?utm_source=openai))
Maria Lanahan, as Principal Deputy Solicitor General, has been instrumental in the state’s legal successes. A University of Chicago Law School alumna, she clerked for Judge Raymond Gruender on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and Justice Brian K. Zahra of the Michigan Supreme Court. Lanahan’s experience spans statutory interpretation, tax litigation, and constitutional issues. ([ago.mo.gov](https://ago.mo.gov/president-trump-names-two-members-of-missouri-attorney-general-offices-team-to-serve-as-federal-judgeships/?utm_source=openai))
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey praised the confirmations, stating, “Josh and Maria are two of the finest legal minds in America. Their work has set the gold standard for legal excellence, and their nominations are a testament to the powerhouse team we have built in Missouri.” ([ago.mo.gov](https://ago.mo.gov/president-trump-names-two-members-of-missouri-attorney-general-offices-team-to-serve-as-federal-judgeships/?utm_source=openai))
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley also commended the appointments, emphasizing the need for judges committed to the rule of law and upholding the Constitution. ([hawley.senate.gov](https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-applauds-white-house-announcement-of-four-outstanding-missourians-to-the-federal-bench/?utm_source=openai))
These confirmations underscore the significant influence of Missouri’s legal community on the federal judiciary, reflecting a commitment to legal excellence and constitutional fidelity.