Peter Phipps
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2019 - Present
5
Peter Joseph Phipps is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on May 13, 2019, and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 16, 2019, by a vote of 56-40. He received commission on July 17, 2019. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit is one of 13 U.S. courts of appeal. They are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Phipps was a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He joined the court in October 2018. He was nominated by President Donald Trump (R) on February 15, 2018, and left the position when he was confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.[1][2] President Trump nominated Christy Wiegand to succeed Phipps on the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Phipps previously was a senior trial counsel in the Federal Programs Branch of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.[2]
Phipps was included on President Donald Trump’s (R) list of 20 potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees released on September 9, 2020.[3] President Trump (R) nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the seat on September 26, 2020. For more information on the 2020 Supreme Court vacancy created by the death of former Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, 2020, click here.
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit (2019-present)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On May 13, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Phipps to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.[4] He was confirmed by a 56-40 vote of the U.S. Senate on July 16, 2019. To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Peter Phipps |
| Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 64 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: May 13, 2019
|
| ABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified / Minority qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: June 5, 2019
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| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: June 27, 2019
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| Confirmed: July 16, 2019
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| Vote: 56-40
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Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Peter Phipps on July 16, on a vote of 56-40.[5] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
| Peter Phipps confirmation vote (July 16, 2019) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
 Democratic |
3 | 38 | 4 | ||||||
 Republican |
53 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
 Independent |
0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 56 | 40 | 4 | ||||||
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Phipps' nomination on June 5, 2019.[6] On June 27, 2019, the committee voted 12-10 to advance Phipps' nomination to the full Senate.[7]
Nomination
Phipps was nominated to succeed Judge Thomas Vanaskie, who retired on January 2, 2019.[6]
Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey (R) supported the nomination, saying, "Judge Phipps will make an outstanding addition to the Third Circuit. He has the experience, intellect and integrity to be a superb circuit court judge."[8]
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey Jr. (D), who supported Phipps' nomination to the Western District of Pennsylvania, expressed opposition to Phipps' 3rd Circuit nomination, questioning whether "six months on that bench is sufficient experience or preparation" for a Circuit Court elevation. Casey also said, "Circuit court judges are often asked to decide questions of law that can have an enormous impact on Americans’ lives, and I have significant concerns about Judge Phipps’ judicial and constitutional philosophy."[8]
The American Bar Association rated Phipps well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority for the position.[9] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (2018-2019)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On February 15, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Phipps as an Article III judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[10] He served in the position until he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit on July 16, 2019. To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
Christy Wiegand was nominated by President Trump to replace Phipps on the Western District of Pennsylvania. She was confirmed on September 9, 2020.
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Phipps on October 11, 2018, by voice vote.[10]
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Phipps' nomination on April 25, 2018.[11] His nomination was reported out of committee on May 24, 2018, by voice vote.[12]
Nomination
President Donald Trump (R) nominated Phipps to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on February 12, 2018.[2] He was nominated to succeed Judge Terrence McVerry, who assumed senior status on October 1, 2013.[10]
Pennsylvania Sens. Toomey (R) and Casey (D) recommended Phipps to the position.[13]
The American Bar Association rated Phipps qualified by a majority and well qualified by a minority for the position.[14] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
Early life and education
Phipps was born in Abilene, Texas, in 1973. He received a B.S. in physics and a B.A. in history from the University of Dayton in 1995. He obtained a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1998. During his legal studies, Phipps served as a managing editor of the Stanford Law Review from 1997 to 1998.[1][15]
Professional career
- 2019-present:Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
- 2018-2019: Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- 2003-2018: Attorney, Federal Programs Branch, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice
- 2011-2018: Senior trial counsel
- 2009-2011: Senior counsel
- 2003-2009: Trial attorney
- 2001-2002: Law clerk to the Hon. Guy Cole of the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
- 1998-2001: Private practice, Jones Day in Columbus, Ohio[2][1]
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2012, 2010, 2006: Special commendation, U.S. Department of Justice
- 2005: The Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award
- 2003: Distinguished Service Certifiate, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit[15]
Associations
- Akron Bar Association
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Columbus Bar Association
- D.C. Bar Association[15]
About the court
United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
| Third Circuit |
|---|
| Court of Appeals |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 14 |
| Judges: 13 |
| Vacancies: 1 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Michael Chagares |
| Active judges: Stephanos Bibas, Michael Chagares, Cindy Chung, Arianna Freeman, Thomas Hardiman, Kent Jordan, Cheryl Ann Krause, Paul Matey, Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, Peter Phipps, David Porter, Luis Felipe Restrepo, Patty Shwartz Senior judges: |
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third 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 James A. Byrne Federal Courthouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It shares a courthouse with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
One judge of the Third Circuit went on to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. Samuel Alito was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2006 by George W. Bush (R).
The Third 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 Third Circuit Court of Appeals are petitioned to the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Samuel Alito is the circuit justice for the Third Circuit.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court in the following federal judicial districts:
- District of Delaware
- District of New Jersey
- Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Middle District of Pennsylvania
- Western District of Pennsylvania
It also has appellate jurisdiction over the United States District Court for the U.S. Virgin Islands which, in spite of the name, is a territorial court and belongs to no federal judicial district.
To read opinions published by this court, click here.
United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
| Western District of Pennsylvania |
|---|
| Third Circuit |
|
| 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: |
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.
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Beaver County
- Bedford County
- Blair County
- Butler County
- Cambria County
- Clarion County
- Clearfield County
- Crawford County
- Elk County
- Erie County
- Fayette County
- Forest County
- Greene County
- Indiana County
- Jefferson County
- Lawrence County
- McKean County
- Mercer County
- Somerset County
- Venango County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Westmoreland County
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 Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Federal Judicial Center, "Phipps, Peter Joseph," accessed October 14, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Eleventh Wave of Judicial Nominees," February 12, 2018
- ↑ White House, "Additions to President Donald J. Trump’s Supreme Court List," September 9, 2020
- ↑ White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees," May 3, 2019
- ↑ United States Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Peter Joseph Phipps, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit )," accessed July 18, 2019
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Congress.gov, "PN725 — Peter Joseph Phipps — The Judiciary," accessed June 6, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 27, 2019
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Courthouse News Service, "Trump Nominates Six for Federal Court Seats," May 3, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 116th Congress," accessed June 18, 2019
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Congress.gov, "PN1646 — Civilian," accessed May 6, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Nominations," April 25, 2018
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," May 24, 2018
- ↑ Pat Toomey, U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania, "Toomey Applauds Nomination of Peter Phipps to United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit," May 3, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 115th Congress," accessed October 1, 2018
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees," accessed May 6, 2019
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 2018-2019 |
Succeeded by - |
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active judges |
Chief Judge: Mark Raymond Hornak • Cathy Bissoon • Susan Baxter • Robert J. Colville • Marilyn J. Horan • J. Nicholas Ranjan • Stephanie Haines • William Shaw Stickman • Scott Hardy • Christy Wiegand | ||
| Senior judges |
Alan Bloch • Nora Fischer • Arthur Schwab • David Cercone • Kim Gibson • Joy Conti • | ||
| Magistrate judges | Keith Pesto • Maureen Kelly • Patricia Dodge • Richard Lanzillo • Kezia Taylor • Christopher Brown (Pennsylvania) • | ||
| Former Article III judges |
William Knox • Jonathan Hoge Walker • William Wilkins • Thomas Irwin • Wilson McCandless • Winthrop Welles Ketcham • Marcus Wilson Acheson • Joseph Weis (Third Circuit) • Brooks Smith • Thomas Hardiman • Joseph Buffington • Timothy Lewis (Pennsylvania) • James Hay Reed • Nathaniel Ewing • James Scott Young • Charles Prentiss Orr • W. H. Seward Thomson • Robert Murray Gibson • Maurice Cohill • Gustave Diamond • William Standish • Gary Lancaster • Terrence McVerry • Sean McLaughlin • Frederic Palen Schoonmaker • Nelson McVicar • Frederick Follmer • Carol Mansmann • Owen Burns • Robert Cindrich • Edward Dumbauld • Wallace Gourley • Rabe Marsh • Barron McCune • John McIlvaine • Glenn Mencer • John Lester Miller • Louis Rosenberg • Ralph Scalera • Daniel Snyder • Herbert Sorg • William Stewart (Pennsylvania) • Hubert Teitelbaum • Gerald Weber • Joseph Willson • Donald Ziegler • Donald Lee • Paul Simmons • Peter Phipps • | ||
| Former Chief judges |
Robert Murray Gibson • Donetta Ambrose • Maurice Cohill • Gustave Diamond • Gary Lancaster • Nelson McVicar • Wallace Gourley • Rabe Marsh • Herbert Sorg • Hubert Teitelbaum • Gerald Weber • Donald Ziegler • | ||
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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:
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
