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 "excerpt": "Mary Elizabeth Phillips, born in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2012, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
 "snippet": "Mary Elizabeth Phillips, born in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2012, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
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 "markdown": "# Mary E. Phillips\n\nMary Elizabeth Phillips (born 1969) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri since 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She was appointed by President Barack Obama and served as chief judge of the court from 2019 to 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | March 6, 2012 (Senate voted 95 to 2)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1120261)</sup> |\n| Chief judge | 2019 to 2025<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> |\n| Born | 1969 in Kirksville, Missouri<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., University of Chicago, 1991; M.A., University of Chicago, 1992; J.D., University of Missouri School of Law, 1996<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nPhillips was born in 1969 in Kirksville, Missouri.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She earned a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the University of Chicago in 1991 and a [Master of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-arts) from the same university in 1992.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She received her [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Missouri School of Law in 1996.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1993 to 1994, Phillips worked as a legislative assistant to U.S. Representative Patsy Ann Danner of Missouri.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She served as an assistant prosecutor in [Jackson County, Missouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/jackson-county-missouri), from 1997 to 2001.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> From 2001 to 2008, she was in private practice in Leawood, Kansas, and concurrently served as a special prosecutor for the Circuit Court of Missouri, Sixteenth Judicial Circuit, from 2002 to 2008.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup>\n\nIn 2008, she worked as a litigation consultant and served as an assistant United States attorney for the Western District of Missouri.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She served as United States attorney for the Western District of Missouri from 2009 to 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) nominated Phillips to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on June 7, 2011.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> The Senate confirmed her nomination on March 6, 2012, by a vote of 95 to 2.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1120261)</sup> She received her commission on March 22, 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup> She served as chief judge of the district court from 2019 to 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Mary Elizabeth Phillips](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1393906)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, March 6, 2012](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1120261)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames N to P*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "speakable": "Mary Elizabeth Phillips, born in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2012, appointed by President Barack Obama."
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