The full bench of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island sent a letter on Nov. 10 to leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees, citing "deep respect for his judgment, integrity, intellect, judicial temperament, and unwavering commitment to the fair and impartial administration of justice."

"We write as federal judges who have had the privilege of knowing and working with Judge Matos," the court wrote. "We do so with tremendous respect for Lou, both as a jurist and as a colleague, and with the strongest possible endorsement of his nomination."

The letter was signed by Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr., Judges Mary S. McElroy and Melissa R. Dubose, and Magistrate Judges Rebecca L. Aitchison and Patricia A. Sullivan.

Matos, who has served on the Superior Court since 2012, spent years as a federal prosecutor in Rhode Island, rising to first assistant U.S. attorney and acting U.S. attorney. The federal judges noted his selection to lead a magistrate selection panel and his work on the state judiciary's Committee on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts.

"He understands that judging requires more than legal knowledge and analytical ability," the court wrote. "It requires intellectual honesty, an open mind, patience, a willingness to listen, respect for differing perspectives, and the courage to make difficult decisions guided by the law rather than personal preference."

The endorsement comes as Matos's nomination has drawn scrutiny over his past views on reproductive rights. Earlier this month, the House released an email from a Maryland woman who said she dated Matos in 1994 and that he impregnated her. In the email, she described him as "stanchly pro-life" at the time and said he urged her not to have an abortion while declining to raise the child himself.

"I think his position on women's reproductive rights should be scrutinized before giving him a lifetime appointment where his able to make decisions in this area," the woman wrote.

Matos has denied the characterization, issuing a statement that he is pro-choice and has been for many years. He has said he will address the matter during his confirmation hearings.

According to a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's office, the state archives has no record of the Maryland woman submitting a similar letter when Matos was nominated to the Superior Court in 2012 by then-Gov. Lincoln Chafee.

The federal judges' letter could carry significant weight as lawmakers weigh the nomination. Matos's career in the U.S. Attorney's office in Rhode Island began in 2001, and he worked under former U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente, a George W. Bush appointee, from 2004 to 2009. Before that, he served as a trial lawyer in the civil division of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., starting in 1992, and later as a federal prosecutor in Delaware.

The State House hearings are expected to draw intense public interest, with reproductive rights advocates on both sides of the issue watching closely. For a state Supreme Court that will likely rule on abortion-related cases in the coming years, the questioning of Matos on his personal views — and his assurances of impartiality — will be a central test of his confirmation.