Joseph Bianco

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Joseph Bianco
Image of Joseph Bianco
United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

5

Prior offices
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Successor: Nusrat Choudhury

Education

Bachelor's

Georgetown, 1988

Law

Columbia Law, 1991

Personal
Birthplace
New York


Joseph Frank Bianco is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on November 13, 2018, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 8, 2019, by a vote of 54-42. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.[1][2]

Bianco was a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York before his elevation to the 2nd Circuit. He served on the court from 2006 to 2019.[3]

The United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit is one of 13 U.S. courts of appeal. They are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal courts. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York 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 courts, click here.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

Bianco was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit by President Donald Trump (R) on November 13, 2018. The U.S. Senate confirmed Bianco on May 8, 2019, by a vote of 54-42.[1] He received commission on May 13, 2019.[4] To read more about the federal nomination process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Joseph Bianco
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 176 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: November 13, 2018
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: February 13, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
Renom. QFRs: Renom. QFRs
ApprovedAReported: March 7, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: May 8, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 54-42


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Bianco on May 8, 2019, on a vote of 54-42.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Bianco confirmation vote (May 8, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 2 40 3
Ends.png Republican 52 0 1
Grey.png Independent 0 2 0
Total 54 42 4

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Bianco had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 13, 2019.[2] On March 7, 2019, the committee voted 12-10 to advance Bianco's nomination to the full Senate.[5]

Nomination

On October 10, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Bianco to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.[6] The Senate received Bianco's nomination November 13.[1] He was one of 13 judges formally nominated by Trump on that date.

At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Bianco's nomination to President Trump.[7] Bianco was one of 51 individuals the president re-nominated on January 23, 2019.[8]

Bianco was nominated to replace Judge Reena Raggi, who assumed senior status on August 31, 2018..[9] Home-state Senators Chuck Schumer (D) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D) of New York opposed Bianco's nomination and did not return blue slips.[10] Click here for more information.

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Bianco well qualified for the position.[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (2006-2019)

See also: Federal judges nominated by George W. Bush

Bianco was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by President George W. Bush (R) on July 28, 2005. The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on December 21, 2005, by voice vote.[12] He received commission on January 3, 2006.[4] To read more about the federal nomination process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Bianco on December 21, 2005, by voice vote.[12]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Bianco had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on November 1, 2005. On November 17, 2005, the committee voted to advance Bianco's nomination to the full Senate.[12]

Nomination

On July 28, 2005, President George W. Bush (R) nominated Bianco to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He was nominated to replace Judge Denis Hurley, who assumed senior status on December 18, 2004.[12]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Bianco well qualified for the position.[13] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Bianco graduated with a B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University in 1988. He obtained a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1991.[6]

Professional career

Noteworthy cases

Lend America FHA case (2009)

See also: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (USA v. Ideal Mortgage Bankers, LTD. d/b/a Lend America, and Michael Howard Ashley, No. 09 CV 4484)

Judge Bianco ruled against a motion filed by the United States Department of Justice to ban Ideal Mortgage Bankers Ltd., operating as Lend America, to originate FHA loans. The Justice Department filed the motion since the mortgage company had a civil lawsuit pending. The company was accused of falsely certifying $14 million in mortgage payments. The decision allowed Lend America to continue to originate loans while the separate lawsuit was still pending trial.[14]

About the court

U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit

Second Circuit
Court of Appeals
US-CourtOfAppeals-2ndCircuit-Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 13
Judges: 13
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Debra Livingston
Active judges: Joseph Bianco, Maria Araujo Kahn, Eunice Lee, Debra Livingston, Raymond Lohier, Steven Menashi, Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam, William Nardini, Alison J. Nathan, Michael H. Park, Myrna Pérez, Beth Robinson, Richard Sullivan

Senior judges:
Jose Cabranes, Guido Calabresi, Susan L. Carney, Denny Chin, Dennis Jacobs, Amalya Kearse, Pierre Leval, Gerard Lynch, Jon Newman, Barrington Parker, Jr., Rosemary Pooler, Reena Raggi, Robert Sack, Chester Straub, John Walker, Richard Wesley


The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is a federal appellate court with appellate jurisdiction. It hears appeals from all of the circuit courts within its jurisdiction and its rulings may be appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Appeals are heard in the Thurgood Marshall Federal Courthouse in New York City.

Four judges of the Second Circuit went on to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. John Marshall Harlan II was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1955 by Dwight Eisenhower, Thurgood Marshall was appointed in 1967 by Lyndon Johnson, and Sonia Sotomayor was appointed in 2009 by Barack Obama.

United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the 2nd CircuitUnited States District Court for the Western District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Northern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the District of VermontUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Map of the Second Circuit. Click on a district to find out more about it.


The Second Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over cases heard in one of its subsidiary districts. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. Appeals of rulings by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals are petitioned to the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the circuit justice for the Second Circuit.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit's territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. The court has appellate jurisdiction over the United States district courts in the following federal judicial districts:

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Eastern District of New York
Second Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 16
Judges: 16
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Margo Brodie
Active judges: Joan Azrack, Margo Brodie, Gary R. Brown, Pamela Ki Mai Chen, Nusrat Choudhury, LaShann Moutique DeArcy Hall, Ann M. Donnelly, Hector Gonzalez, Diane Gujarati, Eric Komitee, Rachel Kovner, Roslynn Mauskopf, Orelia Merchant, Natasha Merle, Nina Morrison, Ramon Reyes Jr.

Senior judges:
Carol Amon, Frederic Block, Brian Cogan, Raymond Dearie, Nicholas Garaufis, Nina Gershon, Leo Glasser, Denis Hurley, Dora Irizarry, Edward Korman, William Kuntz, Kiyo Matsumoto, Allyne Ross, Joanna Seybert, Eric Vitaliano


The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is one of 94 United States district courts. The courthouses are located in Brooklyn and Central Islip. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit based in Lower Manhattan at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse.

The Eastern District of New York 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 New York consists of the following counties in the eastern part of the state of New York:


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, "PN2584 — Joseph F. Bianco — The Judiciary," accessed November 27, 2018
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Congress.gov, "PN220 — Joseph F. Bianco — The Judiciary," accessed July 20, 2020
  3. 3.0 3.1 Federal Judicial Center, "Joseph Bianco biography," accessed October 11, 2018
  4. 4.0 4.1 Federal Judicial Center, "Bianco, Joseph Frank," accessed April 19, 2020
  5. Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," March 7, 2019
  6. 6.0 6.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Eighteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Eighteenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees, and Thirteenth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees," October 10, 2018
  7. 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
  8. WhiteHouse.gov, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 23, 2019
  9. Federal Judicial Center, "Raggi, Reena," accessed April 19, 2020
  10. New York Law Journal, "Trump 2nd Circuit Nominees Grilled as Democrats Fume Over Consideration," February 13, 2019
  11. American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV Judicial Nominees," accessed February 14, 2019
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Congress.gov, "PN780 — Joseph Frank Bianco — The Judiciary," accessed July 20, 2020
  13. American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III Judicial Nominees," accessed July 20, 2020
  14. DSNews, "Judge Rules Lend America Can Keep Making FHA Loans," October 22, 2009

Political offices
Preceded by
-
United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
2019-Present
Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
-
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
2006-2019
Succeeded by
Nusrat Choudhury