United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, M.D. Pa.) is district level federal court with jurisdiction over approximately one half of Pennsylvania. The court was created in 1901 by subdividing the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The court is under the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
Because Harrisburg, the state capital, is located within the district's jurisdiction, most suits against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are filed in the Middle District. Similarly, because York County Prison served as the largest Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) facility in the Northeast, the Middle District also adjudicated a large number of immigration cases. The courts of appeal are now responsible for most judicial review of immigration decisions, bypassing the Middle District and other district courts.
Judge Christopher C. Conner is the Chief Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania; Martin John Pane is the United States Marshal for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
History
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.[1][2] It was subdivided on April 20, 1818, by 3 Stat. 462,[1][2] into the Eastern and Western Districts to be headquartered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively.[1] Portions of these districts were subsequently subdivided into the Middle District on March 2, 1901, by 31 Stat. 880.[2]
Current judges
Former judges
# |
Judge |
State |
Born/Died |
Active service |
Chief Judge |
Senior status |
Appointed by |
Reason for termination |
1 |
Archbald, Robert W.Robert W. Archbald |
PA |
1848–1926 |
1901–1911 |
— |
— |
McKinley, McKinley |
reappointment |
2 |
Witmer, Charles B.Charles B. Witmer |
PA |
1862–1925 |
1911–1925 |
— |
— |
Taft, Taft |
death |
3 |
Johnson, Albert WilliamsAlbert Williams Johnson |
PA |
1872–1957 |
1925–1945 |
— |
— |
Coolidge, Coolidge |
resignation |
4 |
Watson, Albert LeisenringAlbert Leisenring Watson |
PA |
1876–1960 |
1929–1955 |
1948–1955 |
1955–1960 |
Hoover, Hoover |
death |
5 |
Murphy, John W.John W. Murphy |
PA |
1902–1962 |
1946–1962 |
1955–1962 |
— |
Truman, Truman |
death |
6 |
Follmer, Frederick VorisFrederick Voris Follmer |
PA |
1885–1971 |
1946–1967 |
1962 |
1967–1971 |
Truman, Truman |
death |
7 |
Sheridan, Michael HenryMichael Henry Sheridan |
PA |
1912–1976 |
1961–1976 |
1962–1976 |
— |
Kennedy, Kennedy |
death |
9 |
Herman, Robert DixonRobert Dixon Herman |
PA |
1911–1990 |
1969–1981 |
— |
1981–1990 |
Nixon, Nixon |
death |
10 |
Muir, MalcolmMalcolm Muir |
PA |
1914–2011 |
1970–1984 |
— |
1984–2011 |
Nixon |
death |
15 |
James Focht McClure, Jr. |
PA |
1931–2010 |
1990–2001 |
— |
2001–2010 |
G.H.W. Bush |
death |
16 |
Vanaskie, Thomas I.Thomas I. Vanaskie |
PA |
1953–present |
1994–2010 |
1999–2006 |
— |
Clinton, Clinton |
reappointment |
Succession of seats
|
Seat 2 |
Seat established on February 28, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1344 |
Watson | 1929–1955 |
Seat abolished on May 31, 1955 pursuant to 68 Stat. 8 |
|
Seat 3 |
Seat established on July 24, 1946 by 60 Stat. 654 (temporary) |
Seat became permanent upon the abolishment of Seat 2 on May 31, 1955. |
Follmer | 1946–1967 |
Herman | 1969–1981 |
Caldwell | 1982–1994 |
Munley | 1998–2009 |
Mariani | 2011–present |
|
Seat 4 |
Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 |
Sheridan | 1961–1976 |
Seat abolished on August 23, 1976 (Temporary judgeship expired) |
|
|
Seat 5 |
Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 (temporary) |
Seat became permanent upon the abolishment of Seat 4 on August 23, 1976. |
Muir | 1970–1984 |
Kosik | 1986–1996 |
Kane | 1998–present |
|
Seat 6 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Conaboy | 1979–1992 |
Caputo | 1997–2009 |
Mannion | 2012–present |
|
Seat 7 |
Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 |
Rambo | 1979–2001 |
Conner | 2002–present |
|
Seat 8 |
Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 |
Vanaskie | 1994–2010 |
Brann | 2012–present |
|
|
Notable cases
- Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
- Whitewood v. Wolf This case struck down Pennsylvania's statutory ban on same-sex marriage on May 20, 2014. This was not appealed to the Third Circuit.
- Lozano et al. v. City of Hazleton, M.D. Pa. No. 3:06-cv-01586-JMM (2006) (affirmed in part by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, No. 07-3531 (September 9, 2010)).[4][5]
List of U.S. Attorneys
The people in the district are represented by the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
- Samuel McCarrell (1901–1908)
- Charles B. Witmer (1908–1911)
- Andrew B. Dunsmore (1911–1914)
- Rogers L. Burnett (1914–1921)
- Andrew B. Dunsmore (1921–1934)
- Frank J. McDonnell (1934–1935)
- Frederick V. Follmer (1935–1946)
- Arthur A. Maguire (1946–1953)
- Joseph C. Kreder (1953)
- Julius Levy (1953–1957)
- Robert J. Hourigan (1957–1958)
- Daniel Jenkins (1958–1961)
- Bernard J. Brown (1961–1969)
- John Cottone (1969–1979)
- Carlon M. O'Malley, Jr. (1979–1982)
- David Dart Queen (1982–1985)
- James J. West (1985–1993)
- Wayne P. Samuelson (1993)
- David Barasch (1993–2001)
- Martin Carlson (2001–2002)
- Tom Marino (2002–2007)
- Martin Carlson (2007–2009)
- Dennis Pfannenschmidt (2009–2010)
- Peter J. Smith (2010–Present)[6]
Courthouses
Within the Middle District, federal courthouses are located in:
-
The Federal Courthouse in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA
-
The Federal Courthouse in Williamsport, Lycoming County, PA
Counties of jurisdiction
The Court's jurisdiction includes the following counties:
See also
Notes
- 1 2 3 Asbury Dickens, A Synoptical Index to the Laws and Treaties of the United States of America (1852), p. 388.
- 1 2 3 U.S. District Courts of Pennsylvania, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center.
- ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1963, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 15, 1963, and received commission on March 27, 1963.
- ↑ http://www.judicialwatch.org/amicus-curiae-brief-support-city-hazleton-pa-illegal-immigration-lawsuit Amicus Curiae Brief in Support of City of Hazleton, PA, in Illegal Immigration Lawsuit
- ↑ http://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/opinions/munley/06v1586-op.pdf Opinion in Lozano v. Hazleton
- ↑ "Listing of U.S. Attorneys | USAO-MDPA | Department of Justice". justice.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
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