Lee Rudofsky
2019 - Present
4
Lee Philip Rudofsky is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. On July 8, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Rudofsky to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rudofsky on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 51-41.[1] He received commission on November 8, 2019.[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas 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.
Rudofsky was the senior director for global anti-corruption compliance at Walmart Inc. from 2018 to 2019.
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On July 8, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Rudofsky to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.[3] The U.S. Senate confirmed Rudofsky on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 51-41.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Nominee Information |
---|
Name: Lee Rudofsky |
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas |
Progress |
Confirmed 122 days after nomination. |
![]() |
![]() |
Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
![]() |
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Rudofsky on November 7, 2019, on a vote of 51-41.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
Rudofsky confirmation vote (November 7, 2019) | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
![]() |
0 | 40 | 5 | ||||||
![]() |
51 | 0 | 2 | ||||||
![]() |
0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Total | 51 | 41 | 8 |
Change in Senate rules
Rudofsky 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.[4]
The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[5]
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.[6] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
Rudofsky had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 31, 2019.[7] On October 17, 2019, the committee voted 12-10 to advance Rudofsky's nomination to the full U.S. Senate.[8]
Nomination
On July 1, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Rudofsky to a seat on the Eastern District of Arkansas.[9] The president submitted the official nomination on July 8, 2019.[3]
Rudofsky was nominated to replace Judge Leon Holmes, who assumed senior status on March 31, 2018.[10]
Senator Tom Cotton (R) of Arkansas supported Rudofsky's nomination. In a statement, Cotton said, "Lee is an exceptionally qualified attorney, and has served honorably as the Solicitor General of Arkansas as well as a Senior Director of Walmart's Global Anti-Corruption Compliance program. Lee understands that the proper role for a judge is to interpret the constitution and the laws as written and I look forward to his confirmation."[10]
The American Bar Association rated Rudofsky qualified by a substantial majority and well qualified by a minority.[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Early life and education
Rudofsky was born in 1979 in New York, New York. He obtained a B.S. from Cornell University in 2001, a master of public administration (M.P.A.) from the Cornell Institute of Public Affairs in 2002, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2005.[9][12][13]
Professional career
- 2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- 2018-2019: Senior director, Walmart
- 2015-2018: Solicitor general, Office of the Arkansas Attorney General
- 2014-2015: Assistant general counsel, Walmart
- 2013, 2010-2012, 2007-2009: Senior associate, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP
- 2012: Deputy general counsel, Romney for President
- 2010: Deputy general counsel, Steve Poizner for Governor, 2010 campaign
- 2009-2010: Associate, Borgeson & Burns, PC
- 2006-2007: Law clerk to Judge Andrew Kleinfeld, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit[12]
Associations
- Alaska Bar Association
- American Inns of Court, Judge Henry Woods Chapter
- Arkansas Bar Association
- Arkansas Republican Party
- Benton County Republican Party
- Congregation Etz Chaim
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- The Federalist Society
- Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
- New York State Bar Association
- Republican National Lawyers' Association[13]
About the court
Eastern District of Arkansas |
---|
Eighth Circuit |
![]() |
Judgeships |
Posts: 5 |
Judges: 5 |
Vacancies: 0 |
Judges |
Chief: Kristine Gerhard Baker |
Active judges: Kristine Gerhard Baker, D.P. Marshall Jr., Brian Miller, James Moody Jr., Lee Rudofsky Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas is one of 94 United States district courts. It is divided into three divisions with courthouses in Little Rock, Helena, and Jonesboro. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, based in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, at the Thomas F. Eagleton Federal Courthouse and Building.
The Eastern District of Arkansas has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
There are five court divisions, each covering the following counties:
The Eastern Division, covering Cross, Lee, Monroe, Phillips, St. Francis, and Woodruff counties.
The Jonesboro Division, covering Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph counties.
The Northern Division, covering Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Sharp, and Stone counties.
The Pine Bluff Division, covering Arkansas, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties.
The Western Division, covering Conway, Faulkner, Lonoke, Perry, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Saline, Van Buren, White, and Yell counties.
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 Arkansas
- United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- LinkedIn profile
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congress.gov, "PN905 — Lee Philip Rudofsky — The Judiciary," accessed November 8, 2019
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Rudofsky, Lee Philip," accessed November 13, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Four Nominations Sent to the Senate," July 8, 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, "Nominations," July 31, 2019
- ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," October 17, 2019
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee," July 1, 2019
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "Rudofsky picked for judgeship," July 1, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed July 31, 2019
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 LinkedIn, "Lee Rudofsky," accessed July 2, 2019
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Lee Philip Rudofsky," accessed October 17, 2019
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas 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 |
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Arkansas, Western District of Arkansas
State courts:
Arkansas Supreme Court • Arkansas Court of Appeals • Arkansas Circuit Courts • Arkansas District Courts • Arkansas City Courts
State resources:
Courts in Arkansas • Arkansas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Arkansas