Marina Marmolejo

Born Marina Garcia [1] in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.[2] She is a naturalized United States citizen.[2] She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Incarnate Word in 1992.[3] She then attended St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, where she earned a Master of Arts degree and her Juris Doctor, both in 1996.[3] In 1993, Marmolejo served as a substitute teacher in the United Independent School District in Laredo, Texas. From 1993 – 1996, she worked as a research assistant to Professor Raul M. Sanchez at St. Mary's University School of Law where she also worked as a Property tutor and a student attorney at the Criminal Justice Clinic.[1][4]

Before becoming a federal judge, Marmolejo had been a partner with the law firm of Reid Collins Tsai LLP. She previously helped open the San Antonio legal office of Thompson & Knight, where she served as Of Counsel from 2007 to 2009. She is also a former Assistant United States Attorney and began her legal career as an Assistant Federal Public Defender.[5][4]

During the 111th Congress, Democrats from the Texas House delegation and Republican Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison agreed to recommend Marmolejo for a Laredo vacancy on the Southern District of Texas.[5][6] On July 28, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Marmolejo to replace Samuel B. Kent.[7] The Senate confirmed Marmolejo by unanimous consent on October 3, 2011,[8] and she received her judicial commission on October 4, 2011.[4]

Marmolejo has been considered a candidate for a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, along with District Judge Xavier Rodriguez.[9]

• Marina Marmolejo at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Marina Marmolejo at Ballotpedia