Karen Marston

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Karen Marston

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

4

Education

Bachelor's

Davidson College, 1990

Graduate

Salem CollegeT., 1994

Law

Wake Forest University School of Law, 1998

Personal
Birthplace
Portsmouth, Va.
Profession
Attorney

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Karen Marston is a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on September 9, 2019, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 87-6.[1][2] She received commission on December 20, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 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.

Marston was an assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2019.[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On September 9, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Marston to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The United States Senate confirmed Marston on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 87-6.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Karen Marston
Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 101 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: September 9, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: September 11, 2019
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: October 24, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: December 19, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 87-6

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Marston on December 19, 2019, on a vote of 87-6.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Marston confirmation vote (December 19, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 35 6 4
Ends.png Republican 51 0 2
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 87 6 7
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Marston 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

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Martson's nomination on September 11, 2019.[8] The committee voted 19-3 to advance Marston's nomination on October 24.[9]

Nomination

On August 14, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Marston to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.[4] The U.S. Senate officially received the nomination on September 9.[1]

Marston was nominated to succeed Judge Legrome Davis, who assumed senior status September 28, 2017.[1]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Marston well qualified for the position.[10] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Marston was born in 1968 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She earned her B.A. from Davidson College in 1990, an M.A.T. in elementary education from Salem College in 1994, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1998. She served as articles editor on the Wake Forest Law Review.[4][11]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2014: Oustanding prosecutor award for the prosecution of the "Lansdowne Avenue Gang", Philadelphia-Camden High Intensity Drug Trafficking
  • 2011:
    • Recognition and appreciation for dedicated efforts in the investigation of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Eastern Area Field Office, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service
    • Award in appreciation for steadfast support of FDA/OCI and public health mission, Office of Criminal Investigations for the Novartis-Trileptal investigation
  • 2008: Recognition of outstanding prosecutive skills, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Field Division
  • 2007: Chief's Award for Excellence in Policing, Exceptional Problem-Solving Initiatives in the prosecution of United States v. Howard et al.
  • 2006:
    • Certificate of appreciation for dedication and commitment to working with ATF, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
    • Recognition of dedication and hard work on behalf of the Charlotte ICE Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    • Recognition of dedication to the Western District of North Carolina and appreciation of tireless efforts in the "War on Methamphetamine", Drug Enforcement Administration
  • 2002: Department of Justice Director’s Award[11]

Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • The Federalist Society
  • Mecklenburg County Bar
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Association[11]

About the court

Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
Eastern district of PA seal.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 22
Judges: 20
Vacancies: 2
Judges
Chief: Mitchell Goldberg
Active judges:
Wendy Beetlestone, Mary Kay Costello, Paul Diamond, John Gallagher, Mitchell Goldberg, Kelley Hodge, Mark A. Kearney, Chad F. Kenney Sr., Joseph F. Leeson Jr., Karen Marston, Gerald Austin McHugh Jr., John Frank Murphy, Gerald J. Pappert, Mia Roberts Perez, Nitza I. Quinones Alejandro, Juan Sanchez, Jeffrey L. Schmehl, Kai Scott, Joshua Wolson, John M. Younge

Senior judges:
Harvey Bartle, Michael Baylson, Anita Brody, Ronald Buckwalter, Legrome Davis, Jan DuBois, Darnell Jones, Robert Kelly, John Padova Sr., Eduardo Robreno, Cynthia Rufe, Timothy J. Savage, Berle Schiller, Joel Slomsky, Richard Barclay Surrick, Petrese Tucker, William Yohn


The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 United States district courts. It is one of the original thirteen federal judiciary districts created by the Judiciary Act of 1789.

When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in downtown Philadelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.


The Eastern District of Pennsylvania has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. The geographic jurisdiction of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania consists of all the following counties in the eastern part of the state of Pennsylvania. Click here to read more about the court’s jurisdiction.

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 1.3 Congress.gov, "PN1053 — Karen Spencer Marston — The Judiciary," accessed September 11, 2019
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Congress.gov, "PN1053 — Karen Spencer Marston — The Judiciary," accessed December 19, 2019
  3. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Marston, Karen Spencer," accessed December 24, 2019
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominees, and United States Marshal Nominees," August 14, 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. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Nominations," September 11, 2019
  9. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," October 24, 2019
  10. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed September 11, 2019
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Karen Spencer Marston," accessed October 24, 2019
  12. ↑ Justice.gov, "Criminal Division," accessed August 15, 2019

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
2019-Present		 Succeeded by
-


Pennsylvania courts

Federal courts:

Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania

State courts:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts

State resources:

Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania

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