Background
Susan Paradise Baxter was born September 20, 1956 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
Susan Paradise Baxter was born September 20, 1956 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1978, her Master of Education from Temple University in 1980, and her Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1983.
Her practice consisted of commercial litigation, antitrust litigation and contracts. In 1992, she served as the Court Solicitor for the Erie County Court of Common Pleas. Later in 1996, she was elected the Director-At-Large of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association.
She took the oath of the office of United States Magistrate Judge on January 20, 1995.
She became the Chief Magistrate Judge in June 2005 and served until 2009. On July 30, 2015 President Barack Obama nominated Baxter to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, to the seat vacated by Sean J. McLaughlin who resigned on August 16, 2013.
She received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 9, 2015. On January 28, 2016 her nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.
Her nomination is now pending before the full United States Senate.