Orelia Merchant

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Orelia Merchant
Image of Orelia Merchant

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Tenure

2023 - Present

Years in position

1

Predecessor

Education

Bachelor's

Dillard University, 1992

Graduate

College of William and Mary, 1995

Law

Tulane University Law School, 1998

Orelia Merchant is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on September 6, 2022, and confirmed by the United States Senate on May 3, 2023, by a vote of 51-48.[1][2][3][4]

The United States 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 court, click here.

Prior to joining the court, Merchant was the Chief Deputy Attorney General for State Counsel in the New York State Attorney General’s Office.[5]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (2023-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On September 6, 2022, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Merchant to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[1] Merchant's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[1] The president renominated Merchant on January 23, 2023. She was confirmed by a 51-48 vote of the U.S. Senate on May 3, 2023.[4] Merchant received commission on May 12, 2023.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Orelia Merchant
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Progress
Confirmed 239 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: September 6, 2022
ApprovedAABA Rating: Qualified by a majority/Not qualified by a minority
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: January 25, 2023
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: April 20, 2023 
ApprovedAConfirmed: May 3, 2023
ApprovedAVote: 51-48


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Merchant by a vote of 51-48 on May 3, 2023.[4] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Merchant confirmation vote (May 3, 2023)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 47 0 1
Ends.png Republican 1 0 0
Grey.png Independent 3 48 0
Total 51 48 1

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Merchant's nomination on January 25, 2023. She was reported to the full Senate on April 20, 2023, after a 12-9 committee vote.[6] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a full Senate vote.

Nomination

On September 6, 2022, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Orelia Merchant to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[1] Merchant's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[1] The president renominated Merchant on January 23, 2023.[3]

Orelia Merchant was nominated to replace Judge William Kuntz, who assumed senior status on January 1, 2022.[1]

The American Bar Association rated Merchant qualified by a majority/not qualified by a minority.[7] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Biography

Education

Merchant earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 1998, an M.A. in Marine Science from the College of William and Mary in 1995, and her B.S. from Dillard University in 1992.[5]

Professional career

  • 2023-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • 2019-2023: Chief Deputy Attorney General for State Counsel in the New York State Attorney General’s Office
  • 2016-2019: Executive Assistant United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • 2002-2016: Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
  • 1998-2002: Assistant Regional Counsel for the United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • 2000-2001: Special Assistant United States Attorney to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana[5]

About the court

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.

Jurisdiction

The Counties of the Eastern District of New York (click for larger map)

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 all 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 1.3 1.4 1.5 Congress.gov, "PN2507 — Orelia Eleta Merchant — The Judiciary," September 6, 2022
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Judicial Center, "Merchant, Orelia Eleta," accessed on May 3, 2023
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 23, 2023
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Congress.org "PN180 — Orelia Eleta Merchant — The Judiciary," accessed April 19, 2023
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The White House, "President Biden Names Twenty-Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees," September 2, 2022
  6. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting – April 20, 2023," accessed May 1, 2023
  7. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES 118TH CONGRESS," Last updated January 24, 2023

Political offices
Preceded by
William Kuntz 		United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
2023-Present		 Succeeded by
-

New York courts

Federal courts:

Second Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York

State courts:

New York Court of Appeals • New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division • New York Supreme Court • New York County Courts • New York City Courts • New York Town and Village Courts • New York Family Courts • New York Surrogates' Courts • New York City Civil Court • New York City Criminal Courts • New York Court of Claims • New York Problem Solving Courts

State resources:

Courts in New York • New York judicial elections • Judicial selection in New York


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