{ "id": "eps3120bw6", "slug": "megan-b-benton", "title": "Megan B. Benton", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "label": "Surnames A to Bi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Megan B. Benton, also known as Megan Blair Benton, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2026.", "snippet": "Megan B. Benton, also known as Megan Blair Benton, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2026.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-a-to-bi", "markdown": "# Megan B. Benton\n\nMegan Blair Benton (born 1985) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri since 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) She was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, receiving her commission on February 10, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) Before her federal appointment, she served as a judge on the Circuit Court of Missouri for the Sixth Judicial Circuit from 2021 to 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) |\n| Confirmed | February 4, 2026, by a vote of 51 to 46[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190687) |\n| Born | 1985, Columbia, Missouri[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) |\n| Education | B.A. and M.A., Emory University, 2007; J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 2010[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBenton was born in [Columbia, Missouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbia-missouri) in 1985.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) She earned a B.A. and an M.A. from [Emory University](https://www.edgepedia.org/emory-university) in 2007, and received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2010.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) According to Vanderbilt Law School, she studied at Lincoln University before earning her degrees in political science from Emory.[3](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/megan-blair-benton-named-judge-for-united-states-district-court-for-western-district-of-missouri/)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 2011 to 2012, Benton served as a law clerk to Judges Ralph W. Dau and Barbara M. Scheper of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) She then engaged in private practice in [Kansas City, Missouri](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-missouri) from 2012 to 2014; Vanderbilt Law School reports that she joined The Kuhlman Law Firm during this period.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) • [3](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/megan-blair-benton-named-judge-for-united-states-district-court-for-western-district-of-missouri/)\n\nBenton served as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Platte County, Missouri from 2014 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2021.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) In 2021, she became a judge on the Circuit Court of Missouri for the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which covers Platte County, serving as an associate circuit judge from 2021 to 2023 and as a circuit judge from 2023 to 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) • [3](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/megan-blair-benton-named-judge-for-united-states-district-court-for-western-district-of-missouri/)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nBenton was first nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on December 1, 2025; no Senate vote occurred on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) She was renominated on January 5, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) The Senate confirmed her on February 4, 2026, by a vote of 51 to 46.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190687) She received her commission on February 10, 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107) Vanderbilt Law School reported that she assumed the seat previously held by Judge M. Douglas Harpool.[3](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/megan-blair-benton-named-judge-for-united-states-district-court-for-western-district-of-missouri/)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn *Zarate Lara v. Warden, Greene County Jail et al.*, a habeas corpus petition filed by an alien detainee in the Western District of Missouri, Benton was among the judges assigned to the matter, which was docketed as case number 463.[4](https://www.law360.co.uk/judges/megan-blair-benton/cases)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Megan Blair Benton](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762107)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, February 4, 2026](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190687)\n3. [Megan Blair Benton '10 Named Judge for United States District Court for Western District of Missouri](https://law.vanderbilt.edu/megan-blair-benton-named-judge-for-united-states-district-court-for-western-district-of-missouri/)\n4. [Megan Blair Benton Cases, Law360](https://www.law360.co.uk/judges/megan-blair-benton/cases)\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 A to Bi*\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", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Megan B. Benton\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Megan B. Benton](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Megan B. Benton\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-b-benton. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Megan B. Benton, also known as Megan Blair Benton, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Western District of Missouri since 2026." }