Megan Benton
Megan Blair Benton | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri | |
| Assumed office February 10, 2026 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | M. Douglas Harpool |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1985 (age 40–41) Columbia, Missouri, U.S.[1] |
| Education | Emory University (BA, MA) Vanderbilt University (JD) |
Megan Blair Benton[2] (born 1985) is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri since 2026. She served as a judge of Missouri's 6th Judicial Circuit which covers Platte County, Missouri from 2021 to 2026.
Early life and education
Benton received Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Emory University. She received a Juris Doctor from the Vanderbilt University Law School.[3][4]
Career
Benton served as a prosecuting attorney in the Platte County prosecutor's office. From 2021 to 2026, she was a judge of Missouri's 6th Judicial Circuit, which covers Platte County.[3][4] She was appointed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson.[5]
Federal judicial service
On November 14, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Benton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri to be vacated by Judge M. Douglas Harpool.[3] On December 17, 2025, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on her nomination.[6] On January 15, 2026 the committee advanced her nomination by a 12-10 vote.[7] On February 4, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 51–47 vote.[8] Later that day, her nomination was confirmed by a 51–46 vote.[9] She received her judicial commission on February 10, 2026.[10]
References
- ^ "Trump's Second-Term Judicial Push: Five Nominations Head to Senate for Confirmation". 2 December 2025.
- ^ "Megan Blair Benton # 273749 - Attorney Licensee Search". apps.calbar.ca.gov.
- ^ a b c "Truth Social". Truth Social.
- ^ a b "Megan Benton 2024".
- ^ Release, Press (May 7, 2021). "Parson appoints Megan Benton as associate circuit judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit".
- ^ "Nominations | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary".
- ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting" (PDF). U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. January 15, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Megan Blair Benton to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri)". senate.gov. February 4, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Megan Blair Benton, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Missouri)". senate.gov. February 4, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ Megan Benton at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
External links
- Megan Benton at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.