The U.S. Senate has confirmed Alabama Solicitor General Edmund “Eddie” LaCour Jr. as a federal judge for the Northern District of Alabama. The confirmation vote was 51-47, filling the seat left vacant by retiring Chief Judge L. Scott Coogler. LaCour has served as Alabama’s Solicitor General since 2019.
In this role, he led major appellate cases, including Allen v. Milligan, and argued before the U.S. Supreme Court three times. Over his career, he has filed more than 100 briefs, establishing a strong record in both state and federal law. A native of Alabama, LaCour earned a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude, a Master of Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin, and a law degree from Yale Law School.
He also clerked for Judge William H. Pryor Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit before joining private practice and later the Alabama Attorney General’s office. LaCour’s first federal nomination in 2020 was blocked, but his recent nomination gained support from key Alabama senators, including Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville. Their endorsements helped move his nomination through a smooth Senate process this time.
This appointment is part of a series of judicial confirmations for Alabama, following the recent approvals of Bill Lewis and Hal Mooty. LaCour’s confirmation adds an experienced legal mind to the federal bench and continues his influential career in the judiciary. He now officially joins the Northern District of Alabama as a federal judge, taking on the responsibilities of the role and shaping the legal landscape in the state for years to come.
