Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Joshua Wolson
2019 - Present
6
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.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Joshua Wolson |
| Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 357 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: May 10, 2018
|
| ABA Rating: Qualified/Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: July 11, 2018
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: September 13, 2018 (first)/February 7, 2019 (second)
|
| Confirmed: May 2, 2019
|
| Vote: 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 | ||||||
 Democratic |
11 | 32 | 2 | ||||||
 Republican |
53 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
 Independent |
1 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 65 | 33 | 2 | ||||||
Change in Senate rules
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
- 2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- 2008-2019: Dilworth Paxson LLP
- 2010-2019: Partner
- 2008-2010: Associate
- 2000-2008: Associate, Covington & Burling LLP
- 1999-2000: Law clerk to Judge Jan DuBois, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania[4]
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 |
|
| 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: |
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
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- Profile from Dilworth Paxson LLP (archived February 2017)
- Twitter account
Footnotes
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN257 — Joshua Wolson — The Judiciary," accessed May 3, 2019
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Wolson, Joshua David," accessed June 5, 2019
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
- ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
- ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," September 13, 2018
- ↑ Congress.gov, "PN1968 — Joshua Wolson — The Judiciary," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," February 7, 2019
- ↑ 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
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 23, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 115th Congress," accessed September 14, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 |
Thomas Parker • Elizabeth Branch • Neil Gorsuch • Amul Thapar • David C. Nye • John K. Bush • Kevin Newsom • Timothy J. Kelly • Ralph Erickson • Scott Palk • Trevor McFadden • Joan Larsen • Amy Coney Barrett • Allison Eid • Stephanos Bibas • Donald Coggins Jr. • Dabney Friedrich • Greg Katsas • Steven Grasz • Don Willett • James Ho • William L. Campbell Jr. • David Stras • Tilman E. Self III • Karen Gren Scholer • Terry A. Doughty • Claria Horn Boom • John Broomes • Rebecca Grady Jennings • Kyle Duncan • Kurt Engelhardt • Michael B. Brennan • Joel Carson • Robert Wier • Fernando Rodriguez Jr. • Annemarie Carney Axon • | ||
| 2018 |
Andrew Oldham • Amy St. Eve • Michael Scudder • John Nalbandian • Mark Bennett • Andrew Oldham • Britt Grant • Colm Connolly • Maryellen Noreika • Jill Otake • Jeffrey Beaverstock • Emily Coody Marks • Holly Lou Teeter • Julius Richardson • Charles B. Goodwin • Barry Ashe • Stan Baker • A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr. • Terry F. Moorer • Susan Baxter • William Jung • Alan Albright • Dominic Lanza • Eric Tostrud • Charles Williams • Nancy E. Brasel • James Sweeney • Kari A. Dooley • Marilyn J. Horan • Robert Summerhays • Brett Kavanaugh • David Porter • Liles Burke • Michael Juneau • Peter Phipps • Lance Walker • Richard Sullivan • Eli Richardson • Ryan Nelson • Chad F. Kenney, Sr. • Susan Brnovich • William M. Ray, II • Jeremy Kernodle • Thomas Kleeh • J.P. Hanlon • Mark Norris • Jonathan Kobes • Michael Brown • David Counts | ||
| 2019 |
Eric Miller • Chad Readler • Eric Murphy • Neomi Rao • Paul Matey • Allison Jones Rushing • Bridget S. Bade • Roy Altman • Patrick Wyrick • Holly Brady • David Morales • Andrew Brasher • J. Campbell Barker • Rodolfo Ruiz • Daniel Domenico • Michael Truncale • Michael Park • Joseph Bianco • Raúl Arias-Marxuach • Daniel Collins • Joshua Wolson • Wendy Vitter • Kenneth Kiyul Lee • Kenneth Bell • Stephen Clark • Howard Nielson • Rodney Smith • Jean-Paul Boulee • Sarah Daggett Morrison • Rossie Alston • Pamela A. Barker • Corey Maze • Greg Guidry • Matthew Kacsmaryk • Allen Winsor • Carl Nichols • James Cain, Jr. • Tom Barber • J. Nicholas Ranjan • Clifton L. Corker • Peter Phipps • Daniel Bress • Damon Leichty • Wendy W. Berger • Peter Welte • Michael Liburdi • William Shaw Stickman • Mark Pittman • Karin J. Immergut • Jason Pulliam • Brantley Starr • Brian Buescher • James Wesley Hendrix • Timothy Reif • Martha Pacold • Sean Jordan • Mary Rowland • John M. Younge • Jeff Brown • Ada Brown • Steven Grimberg • Stephanie A. Gallagher • Steven Seeger • Stephanie Haines • Mary McElroy • David J. Novak • Frank W. Volk • Charles Eskridge • Rachel Kovner • Justin Walker • T. Kent Wetherell • Danielle Hunsaker • Lee Rudofsky • Jennifer Philpott Wilson • William Nardini • Steven Menashi • Robert J. Luck • Eric Komitee • Douglas Cole • John Sinatra • Sarah Pitlyk • Barbara Lagoa • Richard Myers II • Sherri Lydon • Patrick Bumatay • R. Austin Huffaker • Miller Baker • Anuraag Singhal • Karen Marston • Jodi Dishman • Mary Kay Vyskocil • Matthew McFarland • John Gallagher • Bernard Jones • Kea Riggs • Robert J. Colville • Stephanie Dawkins Davis • Gary R. Brown • David Barlow • Lewis Liman | ||
| 2020 |
Lawrence VanDyke • Daniel Traynor • John Kness • Joshua Kindred • Philip Halpern • Silvia Carreno-Coll • Scott Rash • John Heil • Anna Manasco • John L. Badalamenti • Drew Tipton • Andrew Brasher • Cory Wilson • Scott Hardy • David Joseph • Matthew Schelp • John Cronan • Justin Walker • Brett H. Ludwig • Christy Wiegand • Thomas Cullen • Diane Gujarati • Stanley Blumenfeld • Mark Scarsi • John Holcomb • Stephen P. McGlynn • Todd Robinson • Hala Jarbou • David Dugan • Iain D. Johnston • Franklin U. Valderrama • John Hinderaker • Roderick Young • Michael Newman • Aileen Cannon • James Knepp • Kathryn Kimball Mizelle • Benjamin Beaton • Kristi Johnson • Toby Crouse • Philip Calabrese • Taylor McNeel • Thomas Kirsch • Stephen Vaden • Katherine Crytzer • Fernando Aenlle-Rocha • Charles Atchley • Joseph Dawson | ||
| 2025 |
Whitney Hermandorfer • Joshua Divine • Cristian M. Stevens • Zachary Bluestone • Emil Bove • Edward Artau • Kyle Dudek | ||
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
