' s ▁effort ▁to ▁integrate ▁the ▁Four th ▁Circ uit , ▁which ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁point ▁had ▁never ▁had ▁an ▁African - American ▁judge ; ▁however , ▁since ▁Davis ▁was ▁nominated ▁after ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁uno fficial ▁start ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁Th ur mond ▁Rule ▁during ▁a ▁president ial ▁election ▁year , ▁no ▁hear ings ▁were ▁scheduled ▁on ▁his ▁nom ination , ▁and ▁the ▁nom ination ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁Cl inton ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁term . ▁President ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush ▁chose ▁not ▁to ▁ren omin ate ▁Davis ▁to ▁the ▁Four th ▁Circ uit . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁President ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁nominated ▁Davis ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁for ▁the ▁Four th ▁Circ uit . ▁On ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁end ors ed ▁the ▁nom ination ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 1 7 - 3 . ▁On ▁November ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁full ▁Senate ▁voted ▁ 7 2 – 1 6 ▁to ▁elev ate ▁Davis ▁to ▁the ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁Davis ▁assumed ▁senior ▁status ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that