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Joshua Wolson

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Joshua Wolson
Image of Joshua Wolson
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

6

Education

Bachelor's

University of Pennsylvania, 1996

Law

Harvard Law School, 1999

Personal
Birthplace
Ann Arbor, Mich.


Joshua Wolson is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. On May 10, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Wolson to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wolson on May 2, 2019, by a vote of 65-33.[1][2] He received commission on May 28, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Eastern 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.

Wolson was a partner with Dilworth Paxson LLP from 2010 to 2019.[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 10, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Wolson to a seat on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wolson on May 2, 2019, by a vote of 65-33.[1][2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Joshua Wolson
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 357 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 10, 2018
ApprovedAABA Rating: Qualified/Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: July 11, 2018
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: September 13, 2018 (first)/February 7, 2019 (second) 
ApprovedAConfirmed: May 2, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 65-33


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Wolson on May 2, 2019, on a vote of 65-33.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Wolson confirmation vote (May 2, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 11 32 2
Ends.png Republican 53 0 0
Grey.png Independent 1 1 0
Total 65 33 2
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Wolson was the 10th judge to be 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.[5]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[6]

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.[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Wolson's nomination on July 11, 2018. His nomination was reported out of committee September 13, 2018, by a 13-8 vote.[8][9]

The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Wolson's nomination on February 7, 2019.[10] Click here to see how the committee voted. Wolson's nomination was one of 44 that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reported that day.


Nomination

President Trump nominated Wolson to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on May 10, 2018.[1] Wolson was nominated to succeed Judge James K. Gardner, whose service ended on April 26, 2017.[2]

At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Wolson's nomination to President Trump.[11] Wolson was one of 51 individuals the president re-nominated on January 23, 2019.[12]

The American Bar Association rated Wolson qualified by a substantial majority and well qualified by a minority for the position.[13] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Wolson received his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996 and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School in 1999.[4]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2008: Charles E. Ruff Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Covington & Burling[4]

Associations

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, The Federalist Society
  • Member, Republican National Lawyers Association
  • Member, Republican Jewish Coalition[4]

About the court

Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
Eastern district of PA seal.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 22
Judges: 22
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Wendy Beetlestone
Active judges:
Wendy Beetlestone, Mary Kay Costello, Paul Diamond, John Gallagher, Mitchell Goldberg, Catherine Henry, Kelley Hodge, Mark A. Kearney, Chad F. Kenney Sr., Joseph F. Leeson Jr., Karen Marston, Gerald Austin McHugh Jr., John Frank Murphy, Gerald J. Pappert, Mia Roberts Perez, Nitza I. Quinones Alejandro, Juan Sanchez, Jeffrey L. Schmehl, Kai Scott, Gail Weilheimer, Joshua Wolson, John M. Younge

Senior judges:
Harvey Bartle, Michael Baylson, Anita Brody, Ronald Buckwalter, Legrome Davis, Jan DuBois, Darnell Jones, Robert Kelly, John Padova Sr., Eduardo Robreno, Cynthia Rufe, Timothy J. Savage, Berle Schiller, Joel Slomsky, Richard Barclay Surrick, Petrese Tucker, William Yohn


The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 United States district courts. It is one of the original thirteen federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789.

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 Eastern 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.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania consists of all the following counties in the eastern part of the state of Pennsylvania.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

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 White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Fourteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Thirteenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees, and Eighth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees," May 10, 2018
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN257 — Joshua Wolson — The Judiciary," accessed May 3, 2019
  3. Federal Judicial Center, "Wolson, Joshua David," accessed June 5, 2019
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Joshua David Wolson," accessed May 3, 2019
  5. The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  6. Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  7. NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  8. Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," September 13, 2018
  9. Congress.gov, "PN1968 — Joshua Wolson — The Judiciary," accessed September 14, 2018
  10. U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," February 7, 2019
  11. Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days. Congressional Research Service, "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure," April 11, 2017
  12. WhiteHouse.gov, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 23, 2019
  13. American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 115th Congress," accessed September 14, 2018

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