The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, E.D. Pa.) is one of the original 13 federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789. It originally sat in Independence Hall in Philadelphia as the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania, and is now located at the James Byrne Courthouse at 601 Market Street in Philadelphia. There are Eastern District federal courtrooms in Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, and Easton.
The Court's jurisdiction includes Philadelphia, as well as Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery and Northampton counties. The district is a part of the Third Circuit, and appeals are taken to that Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
The current Chief Judge for the Eastern Pennsylvania District Court is Judge Lawrence F. Stengel.
The people in the district are represented by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
History
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania - United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in case citations, ED Pa is one of the original...
The United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. It was subdivided on April 20, 1818, by 3 Stat. 462, into the Eastern and Western Districts to be headquartered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively. Portions of these districts were subsequently subdivided into the Middle District on March 2, 1901, by 31 Stat. 880. At the time of its initial subdivision, presiding judge Richard Peters, Jr. was reassigned to only the Eastern District.
Current judges
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has 22 authorized judgeships, filled by judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. In addition, 12 judges who have taken senior status continue to hear cases. The Chief Judge of the District is Judge Lawrence F. Stengel.
Vacancies and pending nominations
Former judges
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless circuit judges are also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
List of U.S. Attorneys
- Alexander Dallas (1801â€"1815)
- Charles Jared Ingersoll (1815â€"1829)
- George M. Dallas (1829â€"1831)
- Henry D. Gilpin (1831â€"1837)
- John M. Read (1837â€"1841)
- William M. Meredith (1841â€"1845)
- Thomas M. Pettit (1845â€"1853)
- James M. Beck (1896â€"1900)
- Joseph Whitaker Thompson (1904â€"1912)
- James Cullen Ganey (1937â€"1940)
- David W. Marston (1976â€"1978)
- Peter F. Vaira, Jr. (1978â€"1983)
- Edward S.G. Dennis Jr. (1983â€"1988)
- Michael M. Baylson (1988â€"1993)
- Michael R. Stiles (1993â€"2001)
- Pat Meehan (2001â€"2008)
- Laurie Magid (Interim) (2008â€"2009)
- Michael L. Levy (Interim) (2009â€"2010)
- Zane David Memeger (2010â€"2016)
- Louis D. Lappen (Interim) (2016â€"present)
See also
- Courts of Pennsylvania
- List of United States federal courthouses in Pennsylvania
Notes
External links
- Official site
- Works by United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania at Internet Archive