Roy Altman

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: Roy Altman
	Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Progress
	Confirmed 332 days after nomination.
	Nominated: May 7, 2018
	ABA Rating: Qualified/Well Qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: June 20, 2018
	QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: July 19, 2018 (first)/February 7, 2019 (second)
	Confirmed: April 4, 2019
	Vote: 66-33

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Roy Kalman Altman (b. 1982) is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Altman to a seat on this court.^[1] The United States Senate confirmed Altman on April 4, 2019, by a vote of 66-33.^[2] He received commission on April 9, 2019.^[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, 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.

At the time of his confirmation, Altman was the only judge on the 18-member court appointed by Donald Trump (R). Five judges were appointed by Barack Obama (D), three by George W. Bush (R), and three by George H.W. Bush (R). Two judges were appointed by Bill Clinton (D). The court had four vacant seats.

Altman was a partner at Podhurst Orseck P.A. from 2014 to 2019.^[3]^[4]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Altman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.^[1] The United States Senate confirmed Altman on April 4, 2019, by a vote of 66-33.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Altman on April 4, 2019, on a vote of 66-33.^[2] Home-state Senators Marco Rubio (R) and Rick Scott (R) of Florida voted to confirm Altman. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voted against Altman's confirmation.

To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Roy Altman confirmation vote (April 4, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	14	30	1
Republican	52	1	0
Independent	0	2	0
Total	66	33	1

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Altman was the first judge to be 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 hearings on Altman's nomination on June 20, 2018. The committee reported his nomination by a vote of 17-4 on July 19, 2018.^[8]^[9]

The Senate Judiciary Committee favorably reported Altman's nomination a second time on February 7, 2019. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reported the nomination.^[2]

Nomination

In November 2017, Senators Marco Rubio (R) and Bill Nelson (D) jointly submitted Altman's name to the Trump administration for consideration as a federal judicial nominee.^[4] On May 7, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Altman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.^[1] Altman was nominated to succeed Judge Joan Lenard, who assumed senior status on July 1, 2017.^[2]

At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Altman's nomination to President Trump.^[10] Altman was one of 51 individuals the president re-nominated on January 23, 2019.^[11]

The American Bar Association rated Altman qualified by a majority and well qualified by a minority.^[12] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Altman was born in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1982. He moved to Miami, Florida, when he was two years old.^[4]

Altman received his undergraduate degree, with honors, from Columbia University in 2004. He obtained his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2007. During his legal studies, Altman served as projects editor for the Yale Law Journal.^[3]^[13]

Professional career

2019-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2014-2019: Partner, Podhurst Orseck P.A.
2008-2014: Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of Florida
- 2013-2014: Coordinator, Violent Crime and Anti-Gang Program
- 2013-2014: Director, Violent Repeat Offender Program
- 2013-2014: Deputy chief, Special Prosecutions Section
- 2011-2014: Coordinator, Violence Reduction Partnership
2007-2008: Law clerk to the Hon. Stanley Marcus, United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit^[3]

Awards and associations

Awards

2016: Rising Star award, Daily Business Review
2015: Director of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys Award for "Superior Performance by an Assistant United States Attorney" (awarded for the case of United States v. Lavont Flanders et al.)
2015: Top 40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of South Florida award, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
2014: Director of the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys Award for "Superior Litigation Team" (awarded for the case of United States v. Pikerson Mentor)
2013: Federal Bar Association Young Federal Lawyer Award
2012: Federal Prosecutor of the Year, Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police and the Law Enforcement Officers Charitable Foundation
2013-2014: Miami Fellowship recipient, Miami Fellows Class VII
2013: Miami Country Day School Hall of Fame Inductee^[13]

Associations

2017-present: Member, Venezuelan Bar Association
2016-present: Member, Judicial Nominating Commission, 3rd District Court of Appeal
2016-present: Member, Yale Law School Executive Committee
2016-present: Republican Jewish Coalition
2015-present, 2004-2007: The Federalist Society
2014-present: Member, Florida Congressional Committee PAC
2013-present: Member, Enterprise Club, American Enterprise Institute
2013-2017: Member, Greater Miami Jewish Federation
2013-2016: Member, Federal Bar Association
2012-present: Member, American Israel Public Affairs Committee^[14]

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 district includes the South Florida metropolitan area of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Miami and West Palm Beach. It comprises 15,197 square miles and approximately 6.3 million people. Court offices are in Miami, Florida.^[15]

The following counties are 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.