Eunice Lee

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Eunice Lee

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Nonpartisan

United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Tenure

2021 - Present

Years in position

3

Education

Bachelor's

The Ohio State University, 1993

Law

Yale Law School, 1996 

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Eunice Lee is a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on May 12, 2021, and confirmed by the United States Senate on August 7, 2021, by a vote of 50-47.[1][2][3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd 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.

Prior to her nomination, Lee was an assistant federal defender with the Federal Defenders of New York.[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

Possible Joe Biden nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court

On January 27, 2022, United States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officially announced he would retire at the start of the court's summer recess, which typically took place in late June or early July.[5][6] NBC News had previously reported the retirement on January 26.[7] On February 15, Biden announced he would nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson.[8]

President Joe Biden (D) did not announce a list of nominees he was considering. During the retirement announcement, Biden said that: "The person I will nominate will be someone of extraordinary qualifications, character, experience and integrity. And that person will be the first Black woman ever nominated to the United States Supreme Court."[9]

Lee was mentioned by two or more media outlets as a possible nominee to fill Breyer's seat on the court.[10][11] Click here to read more about the vacancy and nomination process.

United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit (2021-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On May 12, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Lee to the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.[4][1][2] Lee was confirmed by a 50-47 vote of the U.S. Senate on August 7, 2021.[3] She received commission on August 16, 2021.[12] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Eunice Lee
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 89 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 12, 2021
ApprovedAABA Rating: Majority Well Qualified/Minority Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: June 9, 2021
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: July 15, 2021 
ApprovedAConfirmed: August 9, 2021
ApprovedAVote: 50-47


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Lee on August 7, 2021, on a vote of 50-47.[3] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Eunice Lee confirmation vote (August 7, 2021)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 48 0 0
Ends.png Republican 0 47 3
Grey.png Independent 2 0 0
Total 50 47 3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Lee's nomination on June 9, 2021. The committee voted to advance Lee's nomination to the full Senate on July 15, 2021.

Nomination

On May 12, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Lee to the United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit.[4] The president officially nominated Lee on the same day.[1][2]

Lee was nominated to replace Judge Robert Katzmann, who assumed senior status on January 21, 2021.[2]

The American Bar Association rated Lee Well Qualified by a substantial majority and Qualified by a minority.[13] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Eunice Lee earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University in 1993. She earned a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1996.[4]

Professional career

About the court

Second Circuit
Court of Appeals
US-CourtOfAppeals-2ndCircuit-Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 13
Judges: 13
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Debra Livingston
Active judges: Joseph Bianco, Maria Araujo Kahn, Eunice Lee, Debra Livingston, Raymond Lohier, Steven Menashi, Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam, William Nardini, Alison J. Nathan, Michael H. Park, Myrna Pérez, Beth Robinson, Richard Sullivan

Senior judges:
Jose Cabranes, Guido Calabresi, Susan L. Carney, Denny Chin, Dennis Jacobs, Amalya Kearse, Pierre Leval, Gerard Lynch, Jon Newman, Barrington Parker, Jr., Rosemary Pooler, Reena Raggi, Robert Sack, Chester Straub, John Walker, Richard Wesley


The United States Court of Appeals for the Second 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 Thurgood Marshall Federal Courthouse in New York City.

Four judges of the Second Circuit went on to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. John Marshall Harlan II was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1955 by Dwight Eisenhower, Thurgood Marshall was appointed in 1967 by Lyndon Johnson, and Sonia Sotomayor was appointed in 2009 by Barack Obama.

United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd CircuitUnited States Court of Appeals for the 2nd CircuitUnited States District Court for the Western District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Northern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the District of VermontUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Map of the Second Circuit. Click on a district to find out more about it.


The Second 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 Second Circuit Court of Appeals are petitioned to the Supreme Court of the United States. Justice Sonia Sotomayor is the circuit justice for the Second Circuit.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit's territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York, and Vermont. The court has appellate jurisdiction over the United States district courts in the following federal judicial districts:


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 Congress.gov, "PN569 — Eunice C. Lee — The Judiciary," accessed May 13, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," May 12, 2021
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 United States Senate, "Roll Call Vote 117th Congress - 1st Session, Vote Summary: Question: On the Nomination (Confirmation: Eunice C. Lee, of New York, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit)," accessed August 9, 2021
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The White House, "President Biden Announces Third Slate of Judicial Nominees," May 12, 2021
  5. ↑ United States Supreme Court, "Letter to President," January 27, 2022
  6. ↑ YouTube, "President Biden Delivers Remarks on the Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer," January 27, 2022
  7. ↑ NBC News, "Justice Stephen Breyer to retire from Supreme Court, paving way for Biden appointment," January 26, 2022
  8. ↑ White House, "President Biden Nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Serve as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court," February 25, 2022
  9. ↑ YouTube, "President Biden Delivers Remarks on the Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer," January 27, 2022
  10. ↑ CNN, "Biden said he'd put a Black woman on the Supreme Court. Here's who he may pick to replace Breyer," January 26, 2022
  11. ↑ Vox, "Who is on Biden’s shortlist to replace retiring Justice Breyer?" January 26, 2022
  12. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Lee, Eunice Cheryl," accessed August 17, 2021
  13. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES 117TH CONGRESS," last updated June 22, 2021

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
2021-Present		 Succeeded by
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