John Sinatra

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John Sinatra
Image of John Sinatra

Nonpartisan

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

2019 - Present

Years in position

4

Education

Bachelor's

State University of New York, Buffalo, 1993

Law

State University of New York, Buffalo School of Law, 1996 

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John L. Sinatra, Jr. is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. President Donald Trump (R) nominated Sinatra to a seat on this court on May 10, 2018.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Sinatra by a 75-18 vote on December 4, 2019.[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Western 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 Western District of New York, click here.

Sinatra was a partner with Hodgson Russ from 2008 to 2019.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Western District of New York (2018)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 10, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Sinatra to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of New York.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Sinatra on December 4 by a 75-18 vote.[2] He received commission the next day.[3] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of New York
Progress
Confirmed 573 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 10, 2018
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: August 1, 2018
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: June 20, 2019 (second)/
 September 13, 2018 (first)
ApprovedAConfirmed: December 4, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 75-18

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Sinatra on December 4, 2019, on a vote of 75-18.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Sinatra confirmation vote (December 4, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 24 18 3
Ends.png Republican 50 0 3
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 75 18 7

Opposition from a home-state senator

See also: Blue slip (federal judicial nominations)

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) voted against Sinatra. Gillibrand said she was concerned about Sinatra's affiliation with The Federalist Society. "As a member of the Federalist Society, Sinatra’s views are far outside the judicial mainstream and he has expressed pro-corporation views in the past. The federal judiciary must be fair and impartial, and I have deep concerns that he would not represent the values of New York State," Gillibrand said.[4]

Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) supported Sinatra's nomination. Schumer's spokeswoman, Allison Biasotti, said Sinatra "has strong legal credentials, broad bipartisan support in Western New York and the respect of his hometown, Buffalo, where he was born, raised and educated. His addition to the Western District federal bench will increase the productivity of that court and speed access to decisions for those seeking legal redress."[4]


Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Sinatra was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[5]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[6]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[7] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Sinatra's nomination on August 1, 2018. His nomination was reported out of committee on September 13, 2018, by a 16-5 vote.[8][9] The committee voted a second time, 16-6, to advance his nomination to the full Senate on June 20, 2019.[10]

Nomination

President Donald Trump (R) nominated Sinatra to the United States District Court for the Western District of New York on May 10, 2018.[1] Sinatra was nominated to succeed Judge William Skretny, who assumed senior status on March 8, 2015.[9]

At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Sinatra's nomination to the president.[9][11]

Trump announced his intent to renominate Sinatra on April 8, 2019.[12] The second nomination was officially sent to the Senate on May 21, 2019.[13]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Sinatra qualified for the position.[14] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Sinatra was born in 1972 in Buffalo, New York. He received his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1993. He obtained his J.D., cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1996.[1][15]

Professional career

Associations

  • 2012-present: Advisory board member, American Red Cross, Western New York Chapter
  • 2012-present: Director, St. Thomas More Guild, Inc.
  • 2008-present: Member, Erie County (New York) Bar Association
  • 2008-present: Member, New York State Bar Association
  • 1998-2007: Member, Cleveland (Ohio) Bar Association
  • 1993-present: Member, The Federalist Society[15]

About the court

Western District of New York
Second Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 4
Judges: 4
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Elizabeth A. Wolford
Active judges: John Sinatra, Meredith Vacca, Lawrence Joseph Vilardo, Elizabeth A. Wolford

Senior judges:
Richard Arcara, Frank P. Geraci Jr., David Larimer, Charles Siragusa, William Skretny


The United States District Court for the Western District of New York is one of 94 United States district courts. 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.


The Western 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 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 White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Fourteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Thirteenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees, and Eighth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees," May 10, 2018
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Congress.gov, "PN783 — John L. Sinatra Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed December 5, 2019
  3. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Sinatra, John Leonard, Jr." accessed December 9, 2019
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Buffalo News, "Senate confirms Sinatra as federal judge; Gillibrand votes no," December 4, 2019
  5. ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  6. ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  7. ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  8. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," September 13, 2018
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Congress.gov, "PN1966 — John L. Sinatra Jr. — The Judiciary," accessed September 14, 2018
  10. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 20, 2019
  11. ↑ Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days. Congressional Research Service, "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure," April 11, 2017
  12. ↑ White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominations," April 8, 2019
  13. ↑ White House, "Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate," May 21, 2019
  14. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article I judicial nominees: 115th Congress," accessed September 14, 2018
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: John Sinatra," accessed April 9, 2019

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Western District of New York
2019-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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