AG Pax­ton Releas­es State­ment on Pres­i­dent Trump’s Nom­i­na­tion of For­mer Texas Deputy Solic­i­tor Gen­er­al Andrew Old­ham to the 5^th Circuit

Attorney General Ken Paxton today commended President Trump’s nomination of former Texas Deputy Solicitor General Andrew Oldham to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He currently serves as general counsel to Governor Greg Abbott.

“Along with being one of the brightest legal minds around, Andy Oldham has a proven and distinguished record of excellence, professionalism and public service,” Attorney General Paxton said. “Judges who adhere to the Constitution and rule of law are desperately needed today, and I’m confident that Andy will faithfully fulfill that duty when his nomination to the 5th Circuit is confirmed.”

Oldham was the acting general counsel to Gov. Abbott before becoming his general counsel last month. He took over for Jimmy Blacklock, whom Abbott named to the Texas Supreme Court to replace Don Willett after President Trump named Willett to the 5th Circuit.

Previously, Oldham served as then-Attorney General Abbott’s deputy solicitor general, where he represented Texas in federal courts across the country, including two U.S. Supreme Court cases. The Harvard Law School grad also worked in private practice, served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., and was an attorney-adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Oldham’s nomination represents the fifth time President Trump has tapped someone with ties to the Texas Office of the Attorney General for a court vacancy. Don Willett and James Ho, the former solicitor general of Texas, were confirmed to the 5th Circuit, and Kyle Duncan, formerly of the solicitor general’s office, awaits confirmation to the same appeals court. Last month, Cam Barker, the current deputy solicitor general, was nominated by the president to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Oldham’s nomination must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate. Once confirmed, he will replace Edward Prado, a longtime 5th Circuit judge who was named by President Trump to become the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina.