JAMES S. NIXON TO BECOME FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE
BOSTON (April 4, 2024) — Chief Judge David J. Barron of the United States Court of
Appeals for the First Circuit announced today that the Court has selected Attorney James S.
Nixon to serve as the next Federal Public Defender (FPD) for the District of Maine. Attorney
Nixon will fill the vacancy resulting from David Beneman’s retirement in June 2024, and will
assume the position upon the successful completion of a full FBI background investigation. Mr.
Nixon is expected to maintain his principal office in Bangor.
Attorney Nixon has been an Assistant Federal Public Defender (AFPD) in the District of
Maine and the sole resident attorney at the Bangor branch of the Federal Public Defender Office
for the District of Maine since 2014. Attorney Nixon earned his law degree from the Catholic
University of America Columbus School of Law in 1994, after graduating from the University of
Maine in 1988. Following law school, Attorney Nixon was an Associate (1994-2001) before
becoming a Shareholder (2001-2014) at Gross, Minsky & Mogul, P.A., in Bangor, Maine. From
2010 to 2014, Attorney Nixon served as Co-Managing Partner of the firm.
While in private practice, Attorney Nixon was a member of the Criminal Justice Act
(CJA) Panel for the District of Maine, and, from 2010 to 2014, Attorney Nixon served as the National CJA Panel Representative for the District of Maine, representing the district at national conferences and creating a Leadership Action Plan that led to the formation of the District of
Maine’s Criminal Law Committee, on which he still serves. From 2005 to 2014, Attorney Nixon
was a member of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil
Procedure, and, from 2008 to 2017, he was a member of the District of Maine Local Rules
Advisory Committee.
Chief Judge Barron stated: “Jamie Nixon brings a wealth of experience to the critical role
of providing effective assistance of counsel to those dearly in need of it. His commitment to
indigent defense and deep knowledge of the District of Maine ensures that he will be a worthy
successor to David Beneman, who has led the office so well during his superb tenure.” Chief
Judge Barron expressed appreciation to David Beneman, who has served as FPD since 2006, for
his many years of dedicated service. The Chief Judge thanked Circuit Judge William J. Kayatta,
Jr., who served as chair of the Committee for the Appointment of the Federal Public Defender
for the District of Maine, and Circuit Judge Kermit V. Lipez, who also served on the Committee.
In addition, Chief Judge Barron commended the other members of the Committee: Circuit
Executive Susan J. Goldberg; Kaylee J. Folster, Esq., of Vafiades, Brountas & Kominsky, LLP;
Stacey D. Neumann, Esq., of Murray, Plumb & Murray; and John Van Lonkhuyzen, Esq., of
Verrill Dana LLP.