Lawrence attorney withdraws as nominee for federal judgeship

Lawrence attorney Terrence Campbell on Wednesday withdrew his nomination to a seat on the federal bench in Kansas, saying he no longer thinks it’s possible that he will be confirmed.

“It would have been an honor to serve the public in that capacity,” Campbell said in a letter to President Barack Obama. “However, in light of the short time remaining for this Congress to complete its business and the results of the recent election, it is apparent to me that I will not be able to be confirmed by the United States Senate.”

Campbell also sent letters to the two U.S. senators from Kansas, Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts, both of whom had supported his nomination, notifying them that he was withdrawing from consideration.

Terrence Campbell

Obama tapped Campbell in January to succeed Judge Kathryn Vratil, who took senior status in 2014.

Campbell, 46, is a member in the law firm Barber Emerson in Lawrence, where he has worked since 1999. He is a 1997 graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law and spent two years after graduation as a clerk for U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum.

Campbell also served part-time as a traffic judge pro tem from 2005 through 2008 for the Douglas County District Court. In 2001, he served part-time as an adjunct professor at the KU School of Law.