President Barack Obama will announce his nominations for three seats on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to news reports.

The trio includes Patricia Ann Millett, who has argued 32 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. She has experience in Indian law and recently authored a brief in support of the Indian Child Welfare Act for Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl.

Another possible nominee was David Frederick, who has argued 41 cases before the Supreme Court. He has experience in Indian law and represented an Indian family in Plains Commerce Bank v. Long, a tribal jurisdiction case.

But he was not picked by Obama, according to news reports, who will announce the nominations at the White House today. Joining Millett will be Cornelia T. L. Pillard, a law professor, and Robert L. Wilkins, a federal judge in Washington, D.C.

The D.C. Circuit has heard a number of high-profile Indian law cases, including the Cobell trust fund lawsuit, the Cherokee Freedmen dispute, the Patchak land-into-trust case and the San Manuel labor law case.

It is often seen as a stepping stone to the Supreme Court -- of the nine justices, four served on the D.C. Circuit.

Get the Story:
Obama to name two female lawyers and an African American federal judge to U.S. appeals court in District of Columbia (The Washington Post 6/4)
Obama to Nominate 3 to Fill Posts on Key Appeals Court (The New York Times 6/4)

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