Kelly, Sinema Celebrate Arizona’s Angela Martinez’s & Krissa Lanham’s Senate Confirmation as Federal District Judges for Arizona

Kelly and Sinema worked closely with the White House to nominate the two highly respected members of Arizona’s legal community with decades of experience

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema celebrated the bipartisan Senate confirmation of Arizona’s Angela Martinez and Krissa Lanham as federal judges for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Judge Lanham was confirmed by a 66-26 vote and Judge Martinez was confirmed by a 66-28 vote.   

“Angela Martinez and Krissa Lanham exemplify the experience, fairness, and dedication to justice that Arizonans expect from our federal judiciary,” said Kelly. “I am proud to have worked to ensure these highly qualified nominees will bring their expertise and integrity to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.” 

“Angela Martinez and Krissa Lanham–trusted legal experts highly regarded by Arizonans on both sides of the aisle – are both deeply committed to justice and the rule of law. I’m delighted to secure broad bipartisan support for their confirmations. I am confident they will serve our country with distinction as judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona,” said Sinema. 

Kelly worked closely with the White House on the Arizonans’ nominations. Both Arizona District Court Judge nominees were considered by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, with the support of Kelly in March. Last month, both nominees advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support.  

Judge Angela M. Martinez has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Arizona since 2023. Judge Martinez was previously an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona from 2015 to 2023. From 2013 to 2015, she served as a law clerk for Judge Jennifer G. Zipps on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Prior to that, Judge Martinez was an associate at Farhang & Medcoff, P.L.L.C. from 2012 to 2013 after an earlier period serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Arizona from 2005 to 2009. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Judge Martinez was an associate at Lewis and Roca, L.L.P. in Phoenix and Tucson from 2002 to 2004 and she served as a law clerk for the late Judge John M. Roll on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona from 2000 to 2002. Judge Martinez received her J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in 2000 and her B.A. from the University of Arizona in 1995. 

Krissa M. Lanham has been an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona since 2009. She has served as Appellate Chief in that office since 2020, after previously serving as the Deputy Appellate Chief and Human Trafficking Coordinator. Ms. Lanham served as a law clerk for Judge Barry G. Silverman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2009 and for Judge Robert N. Chatigny on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut from 2007 to 2008. She received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2007 and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale University in 2002.