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Judicial Reform Third Circuit Judges
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Judges for the United States Court of Appeals: 3rd Circuit
Theodore Alexander McKee Chief Judge
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on March 22, 1994, to a seat vacated by Aloyisus Leon Higginbotham, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on June 8, 1994, and received commission on June 9, 1994. Served as chief judge, 2010-present.
Education: State University of New York at Cortland, B.A., 1969; Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Private practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1975-1977; Assistant U.S. attorney, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1977-1980; Deputy city solicitor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1980-1983; Lecturer, Rutgers Law School, 1980-1991; General counsel, Philadelphia [Pennsylvania] Parking Authority, 1983; Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County [Pennsylvania], 1984-1994
Cheryl Ann Krause
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on February 6, 2014, to a seat vacated by Dolores Korman Sloviter. Confirmed by the Senate on July 7, 2014, and received commission on July 9, 2014.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1989; Stanford Law School, J.D., 1993
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1993-1994; Law clerk, Hon. Anthony M. Kennedy, Supreme Court of the United States, 1994-1995; Law clerk in private practice, San Francisco, California, 1995-1996; Private practice, New York City, 1996-1997; Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York, 1997-2002; Private practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2003-2014
D. Michael Fisher
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on May 1, 2003, to a seat vacated by Carol Los Mansmann. Confirmed by the Senate on December 9, 2003, and received commission on December 11, 2003.
Education: Georgetown University, A.B., 1966; Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1969
Professional Career: Law clerk in private practice, 1969; Assistant district attorney, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1970-1974; Private practice, Pennsylvania, 1970-1997; State representative, Pennsylvania, 1974-1980; State senator, Pennsylvania, 1980-1996; Attorney general, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1997-2003
David Brooks Smith
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania. Nominated by Ronald Reagan on July 28, 1988, to a seat vacated by Carol Los Mansmann. Confirmed by the Senate on October 14, 1988, and received commission on October 17, 1988. Served as chief judge, 2001-2002. Service terminated on September 23, 2002, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on September 10, 2001, to a seat vacated by Timothy K. Lewis. Confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 2002, and received commission on August 2, 2002.
Education: Franklin and Marshall College, B.A., 1973; Dickinson School of Law, J.D., 1976
Professional Career: Private practice, Altoona, Pennsylvania, 1976-1984; Assistant district attorney, Blair County, Pennsylvania, 1977-1979; Special assistant attorney general, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1981-1983; District attorney, Blair County, Pennsylvania, 1983-1984; Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Blair County [Pennsylvania], 1984-1988; administrative judge, 1986-1988
Joseph A. Greenaway Jr.
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey. Nominated by Bill Clinton on November 27, 1995, to a seat vacated by John F. Gerry. Confirmed by the Senate on July 16, 1996, and received commission on July 26, 1996. Service terminated on February 24, 2010, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on June 19, 2009, to a seat vacated by Samuel A. Alito. Confirmed by the Senate on February 9, 2010, and received commission on February 12, 2010.
Education: Columbia College, B.A., 1978; Harvard Law School, J.D., 1981
Professional Career: Private practice, New York City, 1981-1982, 1983-1985; Law clerk, Hon. Vincent Broderick, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1982-1983; Assistant U.S. attorney, District of New Jersey, 1985-1990; chief of narcotics, 1989-1990; Private practice, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1990-1996; Adjunct professor, Rutgers School of Law - Newark, 2002-2006; Adjunct professor, Cardozo School of Law, 2006-; Adjunct professor, Columbia University, 2007-
Julio M. Fuentes
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on March 8, 1999, to a seat vacated by Robert E. Cowen. Confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2000, and received commission on March 9, 2000.
Education: Southern Illinois University, B.A., 1971; New York University, M.A., 1972; State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D., 1975; Rutgers University, M.A., 1993
Professional Career: Private practice, Newark, New Jersey, 1975-1981; Judge, Newark [New Jersey] Municipal Court, 1979-1987; Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey, 1987-2000
Kent A. Jordan
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware. Nominated by George W. Bush on July 25, 2002, to a seat vacated by Roderick R. McKelvie. Confirmed by the Senate on November 14, 2002, and received commission on November 15, 2002. Service terminated on December 15, 2006, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated on June 28, 2006, to a seat vacated by Jane R. Roth. Confirmed by the Senate on December 8, 2006, and received commission on December 13, 2006.
Education: Brigham Young University, B.A., 1981; Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1984
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. James L. Latchum, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, 1984-1985; Private practice, Delaware, 1985-1987, 1992-1997; Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Delaware, 1987-1992; Adjunct professor, Widener University School of Law, 1995-1996, 2006-; Vice president and general counsel, Corporation Service Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1998-2002; Adjunct professor, Vanderbilt University School of Law, 2003-; Adjunct professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2005-
Marjorie O. Rendell
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Nominated by Bill Clinton on November 19, 1993, to a seat vacated by Louis C. Bechtle. Confirmed by the Senate on February 10, 1994, and received commission on February 11, 1994. Service terminated on November 20, 1997, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated on January 7, 1997, to a seat vacated by William D. Hutchinson. Confirmed by the Senate on September 26, 1997, and received commission on September 29, 1997.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.A., 1969; Villanova University School of Law, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: Private practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1973-1993
Michael A. Chagares
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on January 25, 2006, to a seat vacated by Michael Chertoff. Confirmed by the Senate on April 4, 2006, and received commission on April 20, 2006.
Education: Gettysburg College, B.A., 1984; Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 1987
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Morton I. Greenberg, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1987-1988; Private practice, New Jersey, 1988-1990; Assistant U.S. attorney, District of New Jersey, 1990-2004; chief, Civil Division, 1999-2004; Adjunct professor, Seton Hall School of Law, 1991-2006; Private practice, Hackensack, New Jersey, 2004-2006
Patty Shwartz
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Nominated on January 4, 2013, to a seat vacated by Maryanne Trump Barry. Confirmed by the Senate on April 9, 2013, and received commission on April 10, 2013. U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 2003-2013
Education: Rutgers University, B.A., 1983; University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., 1986
Professional Career: Private practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1986-1987; Law clerk, Hon. Harold A. Ackerman, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1987-1989; Assistant U.S. attorney, District of New Jersey, 1989-2003; deputy chief, Criminal Division, 1995-1999; chief, Criminal Division, 1999-2001, 2002-2003; executive assistant U.S. attorney, 2001-2002; Former name: Patty Shwartz-Dorsey
Thomas Ignatius Vanaskie
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania Nominated by Bill Clinton on November 17, 1993, to a new seat authorized by 104 Stat. 5089. Confirmed by the Senate on February 10, 1994, and received commission on February 11, 1994. Served as chief judge, 1999-2006. Service terminated on April 28, 2010, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated on August 6, 2009, to a seat vacated by Franklin Van Antwerpen. Confirmed by the Senate on April 21, 2010, and received commission on April 26, 2010.
Education: Lycoming College, B.A., 1975; Dickinson School of Law, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. William Nealon, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1978-1980; Private practice, Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1980-1994
Thomas L. Ambro
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated on September 28, 1999, to a seat vacated by Walter K. Stapleton. Confirmed by the Senate on February 10, 2000, and received commission on February 16, 2000.
Education: Georgetown University, B.A., 1971; Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Daniel L. Herrmann, Delaware Supreme Court, 1975-1976; Private practice, Wilmington, Delaware, 1976-2000
Thomas Michael Hardiman
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania Nominated by George W. Bush on April 9, 2003, to a seat vacated by William L. Standish. Confirmed by the Senate on October 22, 2003, and received commission on October 27, 2003. Service terminated on April 5, 2007, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Nominated on January 9, 2007, to a seat vacated by Richard L. Nygaard. Confirmed by the Senate on March 15, 2007, and received commission on April 2, 2007.
Education: University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1987; Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1990
Professional Career: Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1990-1992; Private practice, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1992-2003
Appointments
Circuit Court Judges are nominated by the President of the United States and approved by the United States Senate. Nominees are usually recommended to the President by members of the House or Senate and are typically interviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee during a confirmation hearing. All Circuit Court Judges are appointed for a life term.
Cheryl Ann Krause
Nominated Thu, 02/06/2014
Cheryl Ann Krause has been a partner in the Philadelphia office of Dechert LLP since 2006. She is also a lecturer in law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.