Joshua M. Kindred

Joshua Michael Kindred (born 1977) is an American former lawyer and former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Alaska. He served on the court from 2020 to 2024. He resigned after being accused of creating a hostile work environment, sexually assaulting a former clerk, and lying to investigators about his behavior. He was subsequently disbarred.

Education

Kindred graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts. He then attended the Willamette University College of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Willamette Law Review. He graduated in 2005 with a Juris Doctor degree.

Career

After law school, Kindred served as a law clerk to chief justice Paul De Muniz of the Oregon Supreme Court from 2005 to 2007. He was in private practice with the Seattle-based law firm Lane Powell from 2007 to 2008. From 2008 to 2013, Kindred served as an assistant district attorney and violent unit supervisor for Alaska. He was environmental counsel to the Alaska Oil and Gas Association from 2013 to 2018, and from 2018 to 2020 he was the regional solicitor for the United States Department of the Interior's Alaska Region. A hearing on his nomination before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on December 4, 2019.

Alaska's Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski praised Kindred's nomination. On January 3, 2020, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. Later that day, he was re-nominated to the same seat. On January 16, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote. On February 11, 2020, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 52–41 vote. On February 12, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 54–41 vote. He received his judicial commission on February 18, 2020.

Kindred resigned on July 8, 2024. On September 12, 2024, the Judicial Conference of the United States referred Kindred to the United States House of Representatives for impeachment, despite Kindred's resignation. An impeachment and subsequent conviction would bar Kindred from holding office in the future. The Judicial Conference of the United States described Kindred's behavior as "reprehensible," and stated that it was so severe it warranted review by the United States Congress.

Personal life In October 2013, Kindred married lawyer Talitha "Tali" Birch, daughter of Alaska politician Chris Birch.