David Leibowitz (Florida)

Southern District of Florida
	Eleventh Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 18
	Judges: 17
	Vacancies: 1
Judges
	Chief: Cecilia Altonaga
	Active judges: ; Roy Altman, Cecilia Altonaga, Jacqueline Becerra, Beth Bloom, Aileen Cannon, Melissa Damian, William Dimitrouleas, Darrin P. Gayles, David Leibowitz, Jose E. Martinez, Donald Middlebrooks, Kevin M. Moore, Robin L. Rosenberg, Rodolfo Ruiz, Anuraag Singhal, Rodney Smith, Kathleen M. Williams; Senior judges:; James Cohn, Jose Gonzalez, Donald Graham, Paul Huck, Daniel Hurley, James King, Joan Lenard, Kenneth Marra, Federico Moreno, Robert N. Scola Jr., Patricia Seitz, William Zloch

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: David S. Leibowitz
	Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Progress
	Confirmed 113 days after nomination.
	Nominated: November 6, 2023
	ABA Rating: Well Qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: November 29, 2023
	Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: January 18, 2023
	Confirmed: February 27, 2024
	Vote: 64-33

float:right;
border:1px solid #FFB81F;
background-color: white;
width: 250px;
font-size: .9em;
margin-bottom:0px;

} .infobox p { margin-bottom: 0; } .widget-row { display: inline-block; width: 100%; margin-top: 1px; margin-bottom: 1px; } .widget-row.heading { font-size: 1.2em; } .widget-row.value-only { text-align: center; background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.value-only.white { background-color: #f9f9f9; } .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: #f9f9f9; color: black; } .widget-row.Democratic { background-color: #003388; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Republican { background-color: red; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { background-color: grey; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Libertarian { background-color: #f9d334; color: black; font-weight: bold; } .widget-row.Green { background-color: green; color: white; font-weight: bold; } .widget-key { width: 43%; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; vertical-align: top; font-weight: bold; } .widget-value { width: 57%; float: right; display: inline-block; padding-left: 10px; word-wrap: break-word; } .widget-img { width: 150px; display: block; margin: auto; } .clearfix { clear: both; }

David S. Leibowitz is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on November 6, 2023, and confirmed by the United States Senate on February 27, 2024, by a vote of 64-33.^[1] To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida 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, Leibowitz was corporate counsel for Braman Management Association.^[2]^[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (2024-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On November 6, 2023, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Leibowitz to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Leibowitz received commission on March 1, 2024.^[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Leibowitz by a vote of 64-33 on February 27, 2024.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Leibowitz confirmation vote (February 27, 2024)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	48	0	0
Republican	13	33	3
Independent	3	0	0
Total	64^[4]	33	3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Leibowitz's nomination on November 29, 2023.^[5] He was reported to the full Senate on January 18, 2023, after a 16-5 committee vote.^[6]

Nomination

On November 6, 2023, President Joe Biden (D) nominated David S. Leibowitz to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Leibowitz was nominated to replace Judge Federico Moreno, who assumed senior status on July 17, 2020.^[7] Leibowitz's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2024. The president renominated Leibowitz on January 8, 2024. ^[1]

The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Leibowitz well qualified.^[8] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Biography

Education

Leibowitz earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1998, and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2000.^[9]

Professional career

2024-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2012-2024: Braman Management Association, Miami, Florida,
- 2023-2024: Assistant secretary and assistant general counsel
- 2015-2023: Secretary and general counsel
- 2012-2015: Assistant general counsel
2003-2009, 2010-2012: Assistant U.S. attorney, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York
- 2010-2012: Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force
- 2007-2009: Terrorism and National Security Unit
- 2005-2007: Violent Crimes Unit
- 2004-2005: Narcotics Unit
- 2003-2004: General Crimes Unit
2001-2003: Assistant district attorney, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- 2002-2003: Special Investigations Unit
- 2001-2002: Appeals and Training Bureau
2000-2001: Law clerk, Hon. Robert G. Flanders, Jr., Supreme Court of Rhode Island^[9]

About the court

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit based in downtown Atlanta at the Elbert P. Tuttle Federal Courthouse. The Southern District of Florida has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The following counties are located in the Southern District of Florida:

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.