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United States District Court for the District of Delaware

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United States District Court for the District of Delaware
(D. Del.)
LocationWilmington
Appeals toThird Circuit
EstablishedSeptember 24, 1789
Judges4
Chief JudgeLeonard P. Stark
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyDavid C. Weiss
www.ded.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the District of Delaware (in case citations, D. Del.) is the Federal district court having jurisdiction over the entire state of Delaware. The Court sits in Wilmington. Currently, four district judges and five magistrate judges preside over the court.

The Court is notable for hearing and trying many patent and other complex commercial disputes. In addition, it has limited original and broad appellate jurisdiction over bankruptcy disputes which are filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Appeals from the Court are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which sits in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The current United States Attorney for the District of Delaware is David C. Weiss since January 22, 2018.

History

The court was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. From its establishment until 1946, the court had a single judge. A temporary additional judgeship was authorized on July 24, 1946, by 60 Stat. 654, and was made permanent on September 5, 1950, by 64 Stat. 578. A third judge was authorized on February 10, 1954, by 68 Stat. 8, and a fourth on July 10, 1984, by 98 Stat. 333.

Current judges

As of August 9, 2018:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
24 Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark Wilmington 1969 2010–present 2014–present — Obama
25 District Judge Richard G. Andrews Wilmington 1955 2011–present — — Obama
26 District Judge Colm Connolly Wilmington 1964 2018–present — — Trump
27 District Judge Maryellen Noreika Wilmington 1966 2018–present — — Trump
17 Senior Judge Joseph J. Longobardi inactive 1930 1984–1997 1989–1996 1997–present Reagan


Former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Gunning Bedford Jr. DE 1747–1812 1789–1812 — — Washington death
2 John Fisher DE 1771–1823 1812–1823 — — Madison death
3 Willard Hall DE 1780–1875 1823–1871[Note 1] — — Monroe retirement
4 Edward Green Bradford DE 1819–1884 1871–1884 — — Grant death
5 Leonard Eugene Wales DE 1823–1897 1884–1897 — — Arthur death
6 Edward Green Bradford II DE 1848–1928 1897–1918 — — McKinley retirement
7 Hugh M. Morris DE 1878–1966 1919–1930 — — Wilson resignation
8 John Percy Nields DE 1868–1943 1930–1941 — 1941–1943 Hoover death
9 Paul Conway Leahy DE 1904–1966 1942–1957 1948–1957 1957–1966 F. Roosevelt death
10 Richard Seymour Rodney DE 1882–1963 1946–1957 — 1957–1963 Truman death
11 Caleb Merrill Wright DE 1908–2001 1955–1973 1957–1973 1973–2001 Eisenhower death
12 Caleb Rodney Layton III DE 1907–1988 1957–1968 — 1968–1988 Eisenhower death
13 Edwin DeHaven Steel Jr. DE 1904–1986 1958–1969 — 1969–1986 Eisenhower death
14 James Levin Latchum DE 1918–2004 1968–1983 1973–1983 1983–2004 L. Johnson death
15 Walter King Stapleton DE 1934–present 1970–1985 1983–1985 — Nixon elevation to 3d Cir.
16 Murray Merle Schwartz DE 1931–2013 1974–1989 1985–1989 1989–2013 Nixon death
18 Joseph James Farnan Jr. DE 1945–present 1985–2010 1996–2000 — Reagan retirement
19 Jane Richards Roth DE 1935–present 1985–1991 — — Reagan elevation to 3d Cir.
20 Sue Lewis Robinson DE 1952–present 1991–2017 2000–2007 2017–2017 G.H.W. Bush retirement
21 Roderick R. McKelvie DE 1946–present 1992–2002 — — G.H.W. Bush resignation
22 Gregory M. Sleet DE 1951–present 1998–2017 2007–2014 2017–2018 Clinton retirement
23 Kent A. Jordan DE 1957–present 2002–2006 — — G.W. Bush elevation to 3d Cir.
  1. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 5, 1823, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, 1823, and received commission on December 9, 1823.

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

See also

References

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