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Matthew Solomson

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Matthew Solomson

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Nonpartisan

United States Court of Federal Claims Judge
Tenure

2020 - Present

Term ends

2035

Years in position

5

Education

Bachelor's

Brandeis University

Graduate

University of Maryland R.H. Smith School of Business

Law

University of Maryland School of Law


Matthew H. Solomson is a judge on the United States Court of Federal Claims. On March 5, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Solomson to this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Solomson on January 8, 2020, by a vote of 89-8.[1] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States Court of Federal Claims is an Article I tribunal, a federal court organized under Article One of the United States Constitution. To learn more about the court, click here.

Solomson was the chief legal officer for the Federal Government Solutions unit of Anthem, Inc. from 2015 to 2020.[2]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States Court of Federal Claims

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On March 5, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Solomson to the United States Court of Federal Claims. The U.S. Senate confirmed Solomson on January 8, 2020, by a vote of 89-8.[1] He joined the court on February 4. To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Matthew H. Solomson
Court: United States Court of Federal Claims
Progress
Confirmed 309 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: March 5, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Not rated by the ABA
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: April 30, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: June 13, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: January 8, 2020
ApprovedAVote: 89-8

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Solomson on January 8, 2020, on a vote of 89-8.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Solomson confirmation vote (January 8, 2020)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 37 7 1
Ends.png Republican 51 0 2
Grey.png Independent 1 1 0
Total 89 8 3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Brown's nomination on April 30, 2019.[3] The committee voted 19-3 on June 13, 2019, to advance his nomination to the full Senate.[4]

Nomination

On March 1, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Solomson to the United States Court of Federal Claims to succeed Judge Emily C. Hewitt, who retired on October 21, 2013. The U.S. Senate received Solomson's nomination on March 5, 2019.[2][1]

Early life and education

Solomson was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1974. He obtained a B.A., cum laude, from Brandeis University in 1996. In 2002, Solomson obtained an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland R.H. Smith School of Business and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he was Order of the Coif.[2][5]

Career

Associations

  • Member, U.S. Court of Federal Claims Bar Association
  • Member, Association of Corporate Counsel
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association Section of Public Contract Law
  • Member, Southeast Hebrew Congregation[5]

Noteworthy events

Federal judges sign letter regarding hiring Columbia University students (2024)

On May 6, 2024, Solomson and 12 other federal judges signed a letter to Columbia University saying they would not hire undergraduates or law students from the university, beginning with the entering class of 2024.[6]

In the letter, the judges said, "As judges who hire law clerks every year to serve in the federal judiciary, we have lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education."[7]

They signed the letter in the context of student demonstrations at Columbia University over the Israel-Hamas War. The students who participated in the demonstrations demanded that the university divest all of its finances from "companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."[8]

The judges said they believed the university should institute consequences for faculty and students who participated in the demonstrations. They also called on the university to practice "neutrality and nondiscrimination in the protection of freedom of speech" and "viewpoint diversity on the faculty and across the administration."[7]

The Washington Post reported that Dean of Columbia Law School Gillian Lester said in a statement that graduates are "consistently sought out by leading employers in the private and public sectors, including the judiciary." Lester did not directly address the letter.[6]


About the court

Court of Federal Claims
Federal Circuit
US Court of Federal Claims.png
Judgeships
Posts: 16
Judges: 16
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Elaine Kaplan
Active judges: Armando Omar Bonilla, Kathryn Davis, Thompson Michael Dietz, Philip Hadji, Richard Hertling, Ryan Holte, Elaine Kaplan, Carolyn Lerner, Robin M. Meriweather, Edward Meyers, Eleni Roumel, Stephen Schwartz, Molly Silfen, Matthew Solomson, Zachary Somers, David A. Tapp

Senior judges:
Susan G. Braden, Eric G. Bruggink, Lynn J. Bush, Edward J. Damich, Nancy B. Firestone, Robert H. Hodges Jr., Marian Blank Horn, Charles F. Lettow, Loren A. Smith, Margaret M. Sweeney, Thomas C. Wheeler, John Paul Wiese, Mary Ellen Coster Williams, Victor J. Wolski


The United States Court of Federal Claims is a United States federal court that hears claims against the U.S. government. It was created in 1982 as an Article I tribunal.

Judgments of the court may be appealed to the Federal Circuit.

The court has jurisdiction over claims across the United States for over $10,000 and congruent jurisdiction with the United States District Courts on claims under $10,000.[9]

The court has original jurisdiction over all money claims against the federal government based in federal statute, executive order, or contract. This jurisdiction also includes bid protests and vaccine compensations. The approximate breakdown of the cases by jurisdiction includes:

  • Tax Refund Suits
25%
  • Contract Claims
33%
  • Fifth Amendment takings
10%

The rest constitute other varieties of claims.[9]

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, "PN455 — Matthew H. Solomson — The Judiciary," accessed April 16, 2019
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, a United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees," March 1, 2019
  3. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Nominations," April 30, 2019
  4. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 13, 2019
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Matthew Hillel Solomson," accessed April 30, 2019
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Washington Post, "Conservative judges say they will boycott Columbia University students," May 7, 2024
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Washington Post, "Letter to Columbia University," May 6, 2024
  8. ↑ Columbia University Apartheid Divest, "Demands," accessed May 14, 2024
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Court of Federal Claims, About the Court

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States Court of Federal Claims Judge
2020-Present		 Succeeded by
-


Maryland courts

Federal courts:

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Maryland • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Maryland

State courts:

Maryland Supreme Court • Appellate Court of Maryland • Maryland District Courts • Maryland Circuit Courts • Maryland Orphans' Court

State resources:

Courts in Maryland • Maryland judicial elections • Judicial selection in Maryland

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