{{Short description|American judge (born 1969)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Beth Phillips | image = Beth Phillips US Attorney.JPG | office = Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri | term_start = January 3, 2019 | term_end = December 31, 2025 | predecessor = David Gregory Kays | successor = Brian C. Wimes | office1 = Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri | appointer1 = Barack Obama | term_start1 = March 22, 2012 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Ortrie D. Smith | successor1 = | office2 = United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri | term_start2 = December 24, 2009 | term_end2 = March 22, 2012 | appointer2 = Barack Obama | predecessor2 = John Wood | successor2 = David Ketchmark (acting) | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1969}} | birth_place = Kirksville, Missouri, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = W. Brent Powell | education = University of Chicago (BA, MA)<br>University of Missouri (JD) }} '''Mary Elizabeth "Beth" Phillips''' (born 1969) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
==Early life and education== Phillips was born in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1969.<ref name=main_justice_20091014>{{Cite news | first=Stephanie | last=Woodrow | url=http://www.mainjustice.com/2009/10/14/meet-beth-phillips/ | title=Meet Beth Phillips | work=Main Justice | date=October 14, 2009 | access-date=June 8, 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707133717/http://www.mainjustice.com/2009/10/14/meet-beth-phillips/ | archive-date=July 7, 2011 }}</ref> She received two degrees from the University of Chicago, a Bachelor of Arts in 1991 and a Master of Arts in 1992.<ref name=whgov_20110607>{{Cite web | author=The White House: Office of the Press Secretary | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/07/president-obama-nominates-four-united-states-district-court | title=President Obama Nominates Four to the United States District Court | date=June 7, 2011 | via=National Archives | work=whitehouse.gov | access-date=June 8, 2011}}</ref> Phillips then earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1996.<ref name=whgov_20110607/><ref name="fjc.gov">{{FJC Bio|nid=1393906|inline=yes}}</ref>
== Career == ===U.S. attorney===
On September 30, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Phillips to serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.<ref name=whgov_20090930>{{Cite web | author=The White House: Office of the Press Secretary | url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-nominates-sanford-coats-beth-phillips-and-stephanie-villafuerte-be- | title=President Obama Nominates Sanford Coats, Beth Phillips and Stephanie Villafuerte to be U.S. Attorneys | date=September 30, 2009 | via=National Archives | work=whitehouse.gov | access-date=June 8, 2011}}</ref> She was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 24, 2009.<ref name=main_justice_20091224>{{Cite news | first=Andrew | last=Ramonas | url=http://www.mainjustice.com/2009/12/24/senate-confirms-seven-u-s-attorneys/ | title=Senate Confirms Seven U.S. Attorneys | work=Main Justice | date=December 24, 2009 | access-date=June 8, 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326123738/http://www.mainjustice.com/2009/12/24/senate-confirms-seven-u-s-attorneys/ | archive-date=March 26, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="fjc.gov"/>
=== Federal judicial service ===
On June 7, 2011, President Barack Obama nominated Phillips to a seat on United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.<ref name=whgov_20110607/> She would replace Judge Ortrie D. Smith, who assumed senior status in 2011. She received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 20, 2011, and her nomination was reported to the floor of the Senate by a voice vote on October 13, 2011. On March 6, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Phillips' nomination by a 95–2 vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1122/vote_112_2_00026.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation Mary Elizabeth Phillips, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge)|access-date=2022-11-05}}</ref> She received her commission on March 22, 2012.<ref name="fjc.gov"/> She was sworn in on March 23, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mow.uscourts.gov/judges/phillips.html|title=U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips – Western District of Missouri|work=uscourts.gov|access-date=23 June 2015}}</ref><ref name="fjc.gov"/> She became chief judge on January 3, 2019.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== *{{FJC Bio|nid=1393906}} *{{Ballotpedia|Mary_Elizabeth_Phillips}}
{{s-start}} {{s-legal}} {{s-bef|before=John Wood}} {{s-ttl|title=United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri|years=2009–2012}} {{s-aft|after=David Ketchmark<br>Acting}} |- {{s-bef|before=Ortrie D. Smith}} {{s-ttl|title=Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri|years=2012–present}} {{s-inc}} |- {{s-bef|before=David Gregory Kays}} {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri}}|years=2019–2025}} {{s-aft|after=Brian C. Wimes}} {{s-end}}
{{United States 8th Circuit district judges}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Beth}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women judges Category:Assistant United States attorneys Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri Category:People from Kirksville, Missouri Category:United States attorneys for the Western District of Missouri Category:United States district court judges appointed by Barack Obama Category:University of Chicago alumni Category:University of Missouri School of Law alumni