RICHMOND (Legal Newsline) - President Barack Obama's pick for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The Senate confirmed Andre Davis, a former federal prosecutor and judge, with a 72-16 vote on Monday. The court now has six judges appointed by Democratic presidents and five by Republicans.

Obama said Davis would be the voice "of reason and even-handedness" and that his service to a federal court in Maryland "has been invaluable."

Davis, 60, was born in Baltimore and graduated from the University of Maryland's law school before clerking for two federal judges.

He also served as an appellate attorney in the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Maryland.

He began his judicial career in 1987, when he was appointed to a state court in Baltimore. In 1995, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton for a federal judgeship.

Clinton appointed him to the 4th Circuit in 2000, but no hearing was set on the matter by the time George W. Bush took office. He chose not to renominate him.

The 4th Circuit hears appeals from West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland.

There are four more vacancies on the court.

From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at jobrienwv@gmail.com.