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Christy Wiegand

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Christy Wiegand
Image of Christy Wiegand

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

4

Education

Bachelor's

Princeton, 1997

Law

Cornell Law School, 2000

Personal
Birthplace
Pittsburgh, Pa.

Christy Wiegand is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) on February 12, 2020. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 82-14 on September 9, 2020. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Western 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.

Wiegand was an assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania from 2004 to 2020.

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (2020-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On February 12, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Wiegand to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wiegand by an 82-14 vote on September 9, 2020.[1] She received commission on September 11, 2020.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Christy Wiegand
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 210 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: February 12, 2020
ApprovedAABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified / Minority qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: June 17, 2020
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: July 23, 2020 
ApprovedAConfirmed: September 9, 2020
ApprovedAVote: 82-14

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Wiegand on September 9, 2020, by a vote of 82-14.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Wiegand confirmation vote (September 9, 2020)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 28 14 3
Ends.png Republican 53 0 0
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 82 14 4
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Wiegand 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

Wiegand had her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 17, 2020.[6] The committee voted 17-5 to advance Wiegand's nomination to the full Senate on July 23, 2020.[7]

Nomination

On February 5, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Wiegand to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[8] The president officially nominated Wiegand on February 12.[1]

Wiegand was nominated to succeed Judge Peter Phipps, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in 2019.

U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R) and Bob Casey (D), both from Pennsylvania, released statements on Wiegand's nomination.

Senator Toomey said, "Christy Wiegand has a wealth of legal experience from her service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh. President Trump has made a great choice nominating her to the federal bench. I believe Ms. Wiegand's experience, intellect, and commitment to the rule of law will serve her and the people of Pennsylvania well."[9]

Senator Casey said, “I am pleased that Christy Wiegand has been nominated to serve on the federal bench in Pennsylvania’s Western District. I am grateful for her willingness to serve. It is clear from her experience as a federal prosecutor that she has the necessary intellect, experience and character to faithfully and independently administer justice for the people of the Commonwealth.”[10]

The American Bar Association rated Wiegand well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority for the position.[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Wiegand was born in 1975 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's degree, cum laude, from Princeton University in 1997 and a J.D., cum laude, from Cornell Law School in 2000. During her legal studies, Wiegand was an articles editor on the Cornell Law Review.[8][12]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2019: Federal Bureau of Investigation Director's Certificate of Commendation
  • 2018: National Science Foundation Inspector General's Letter of Commendation
  • 2016: U.S. Department of Education Inspector General's Certificate of Appreciation
  • 2012: Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Certificate of Commendation
  • 2007: Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Director's Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant U.S. Attorney
  • 2007: Pittsburgh Federal Executive Board Excellence in Government Bronze Award for Outstanding Professional Employee[12]

Associations

  • Allegheny County Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • American Inns of Court
  • 2010-2011: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
  • 2009-2018: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
  • 2006-2008: Three Rivers Rowing Association[12]

About the court

Western District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
Western-District-Pennsylvania-Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 10
Judges: 10
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Mark Raymond Hornak
Active judges:
Susan Baxter, Cathy Bissoon, Robert J. Colville, Stephanie Haines, William Scott Hardy, Marilyn J. Horan, Mark Raymond Hornak, J. Nicholas Ranjan, William Shaw Stickman IV, Christy Wiegand

Senior judges:
Alan Bloch, David Cercone, Joy Conti, Nora Fischer, Kim Gibson, Arthur Schwab


The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 United States district courts.

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.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Western District of Pennsylvania consists of all the following counties in the western 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 Congress.gov, "PN1511 — Christy Criswell Wiegand — The Judiciary," accessed February 13, 2020
  2. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Wiegand, Christy Criswell," accessed September 15, 2020
  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, "Nominations," accessed June 17, 2020
  7. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," July 23, 2020
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominee," February 5, 2019
  9. ↑ The Bradford Era, "Toomey, Casey applaud nomination of Christy Wiegand to U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania," February 6, 2020
  10. ↑ The Bradford Era, "Toomey, Casey applaud nomination of Christy Wiegand to U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania," February 6, 2020
  11. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV Judicial Nominees," accessed June 17, 2020
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees," accessed July 23, 2020

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
2020-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

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