The United States Senate has confirmed Benjamin M. Flowers, former Solicitor General of Ohio, to serve as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. This appointment fills the vacancy left by Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, who announced his intention to assume senior status.
Flowers’ nomination was advanced by President Donald Trump on April 27, 2026. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on May 20, 2026, to consider his qualifications. During the hearing, Flowers addressed questions regarding his judicial philosophy and prior legal work. ([judiciary.senate.gov](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/nominations-05-20-2026?utm_source=openai))
On July 20, 2026, the Senate voted 43-40 to invoke cloture on Flowers’ nomination, effectively ending debate and moving toward a final confirmation vote. ([senate.gov](https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1192/vote_119_2_00200.htm?utm_source=openai)) The confirmation process was marked by partisan divisions, with some senators expressing concerns over Flowers’ previous positions on reproductive rights and voting laws. ([reproductivefreedomforall.org](https://reproductivefreedomforall.org/resources/benjamin-flowers-record-against-reproductive-freedom/?utm_source=openai))
Prior to his confirmation, Flowers served as Ohio’s Solicitor General from 2019 to 2023, representing the state in appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Notably, he argued in the case of National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, where the Supreme Court stayed a federal rule requiring large employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations or testing for employees. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Michael_Flowers?utm_source=openai))
Flowers’ legal career also includes clerkships with Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge Sandra Ikuta of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School in 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University in 2009. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Michael_Flowers?utm_source=openai))
With his confirmation, Flowers joins the Sixth Circuit, which has jurisdiction over federal appeals from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. His appointment is expected to further solidify the court’s conservative majority. ([legalclarity.org](https://legalclarity.org/is-the-6th-circuit-court-of-appeals-liberal-or-conservative/?utm_source=openai))