Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.

Jennifer Philpott Wilson

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Jennifer Philpott Wilson
Image of Jennifer Philpott Wilson

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

5

Education

Bachelor's

Swarthmore College, 1997

Law

Brooklyn Law School, 2001

Jennifer Philpott Wilson is a judge on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Wilson to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 88-3.[1] She received commission on November 8, 2019.[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Wilson was a partner with Philpott Wilson LLP, in Duncannon, Pennsylvania, from 2009 to 2019.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Wilson as an Article III judge on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 88-3.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Jennifer Philpott Wilson
Court: United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 178 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 13, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: June 5, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: June 27, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: November 7, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 88-3


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, on a vote of 88-3.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Wilson confirmation vote (November 7, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 36 3 6
Ends.png Republican 51 0 2
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 88 3 9
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Wilson was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[3]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[4]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[5] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Wilson's nomination on June 5, 2019.[1] On June 27, 2019, the committee voted 18-4 to advance Wilson's nomination to the full Senate.[6]

Nomination

Wilson was nominated to replace Judge Yvette Kane, who assumed senior status on October 11, 2018.

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Wilson well qualified for the position.[7] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Wilson was born in 1975 in Washington, D.C. She obtained a B.A., cum laude, from Swarthmore College in 1997 and her J.D., summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 2001. During her legal studies, she served as the executive notes and comments editor for the Brooklyn Law Review.[8][9]

Professional career

About the court

Middle District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
PA-MD.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Matthew Brann
Active judges:
Matthew Brann, Karoline Mehalchick, Julia Munley, Keli Neary, Jennifer Philpott Wilson, Joseph Saporito

Senior judges:
Yvette Kane, Malachy Mannion, Robert David Mariani


The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 United States district courts. The court operates out of Scranton, Pennsylvania. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in downtown Philadelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.

The Western District of Pennsylvania has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

Because Harrisburg, the state capital, is located within the district's jurisdiction, most suits against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are filed in the Middle District. Similarly, because York County Prison served as the largest Immigration and Naturalization Service facility in the Northeast, the Middle District previously adjudicated a large number of immigration cases. The courts of appeal are now responsible for most judicial review of immigration decisions, bypassing the Middle District and other district courts.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Middle District of Pennsylvania consists of approximately one-half of Pennsylvania. The following counties form the Middle District:

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Congress.gov, "PN729 — Jennifer Philpott Wilson — The Judiciary," accessed June 6, 2019
  2. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Wilson, Jennifer Philpott," accessed November 13, 2019
  3. ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  4. ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  5. ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  6. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 27, 2019
  7. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 116th Congress," accessed June 27, 2019
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 White House, "Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate," May 13, 2019
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Jennifer Philpott Wilson," accessed June 6, 2019

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
2019-Present		 Succeeded by
-


Pennsylvania courts

Federal courts:

Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania

State courts:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts

State resources:

Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Jennifer_Philpott_Wilson&oldid=9903579"