REMAKING ANOTHER CIRCUIT IN HIS IMAGE:

Murphy may head to bench: U.S. attorney, Troy lawyer considered for federal appeals court; nominations would end dispute (David Shepardson, 6/10/06, The Detroit News)

U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy III and a Troy attorney are expected to be nominated to two open seats on the federal appeals court in Cincinnati, officials familiar with the process said.

Detroit FBI agents have interviewed local lawyers and federal judges in recent weeks in conducting background checks of Murphy, the eastern Michigan's top federal prosecutor, and Troy lawyer Raymond Kethledge, a former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. [...]

The court disagreement began in 1997, when U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, complained several of President Clinton's nominees from Michigan weren't given Senate hearings or votes after waiting for 3 1/2 years. That led Levin and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing., to block votes on President Bush's Michigan nominees to the federal appeals court for four years.

Tara Andringa, a spokeswoman for Levin, declined Friday to comment on whether Levin had signed off on the appointment of Murphy or Kethledge.

Last year, three appeals court judges from Michigan were confirmed -- and one has since died, again leaving two openings.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Wayne Circuit Judge Sean Cox, the brother of Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox, and Midland Circuit Judge Thomas Ludington to the U.S. District Court in Detroit. They are expected to be sworn in next week.