Scott Hardy

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William Scott Hardy
Image of William Scott Hardy

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

4

Education

Bachelor's

Allegheny College, 1993

Law

Notre Dame Law School, 1996

Personal
Birthplace
Pittsburgh, Pa.

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William Scott Hardy is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on December 2, 2019, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 27, 2020, by a 65-30 vote.[1][2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the Western 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.

Hardy was a shareholder at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 2010 to 2020.

Although federal judicial positions are officially nonpartisan, Hardy is a member of the Republican Party.[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (2020-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On December 2, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Hardy to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[1] The U.S. Senate confirmed Hardy on July 27, 2020, by a 65-30 vote.[2] He received commission on July 31, 2020.[4] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Scott Hardy
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 238 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: December 2, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Substantial majority well qualified/Minority qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: January 8, 2020
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: May 14, 2020 
ApprovedAConfirmed: July 27, 2020
ApprovedAVote: 65-30

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Hardy on July 27, 2020, by a vote of 65-30.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Hardy confirmation vote (July 27, 2020)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 13 30 2
Ends.png Republican 51 0 2
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 65 30 5
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Hardy 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

Hardy had his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 8, 2020.[8] The committee voted 14-8 to advance Hardy's nomination on May 14.[9]

Nomination

On November 6, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Hardy to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[10] The president officially submitted the nomination on December 2, 2019.[1]

The nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2020.[1] The president officially renominated Hardy on January 6.[2]

Hardy was nominated to replace Judge Nora Fischer, who assumed senior status on June 13, 2019.[1]

Pennsylvania Senators Pat Toomey (R) and Bob Casey (D) supported Hardy's nomination.

  • Toomey said, "Mr. Hardy’s 23 years of litigation experience in Pittsburgh will make him an excellent judge. I am confident he will be a fair and impartial jurist."
  • Casey said, "He is a capable attorney who has the necessary intellect, experience, and character to faithfully and independently administer justice for the people of the Commonwealth. I am grateful for his willingness to serve."[11]

The American Bar Association rated Hardy well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority for the position.[12] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Early life and education

Hardy was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1971. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from Allegheny College in 1993 and his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1996.[13][14]

Professional career

  • 2020-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • 2010-2020: Shareholder, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
    • 2018-2020: Board of directors
    • 2012-2018: Pittsburgh office managing shareholder
  • 1997-2010: Cohen & Grigsby, P.C.
    • 2007-2010: Deputy group head, Labor and employment practice group
    • 2004-2010: Director (partner)
    • 1997-2003: Associate
  • 1996-1997: Associate, Meyer Unkovic & Scott, LLP[14]

Associations

  • Former president, Dean W. Edward Sell Chapter of the American Inns of Court[10]
  • Council member, Federal Court Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association
  • Former vice chair, Labor and Employment Practice Group of the American Healthcare Lawyers Association
  • Board of directors, Good Samaritan Hospice of Pittsburgh
  • Board of directors, Laurel Highlands Council of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Allegheny County Bar Foundation
  • Member, Federal Bar Association, Western Pennsylvania Chapter
  • Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association[13]

About the court

Western District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
Western-District-Pennsylvania-Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 10
Judges: 10
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Mark Raymond Hornak
Active judges:
Susan Baxter, Cathy Bissoon, Robert J. Colville, Stephanie Haines, William Scott Hardy, Marilyn J. Horan, Mark Raymond Hornak, J. Nicholas Ranjan, William Shaw Stickman IV, Christy Wiegand

Senior judges:
David Cercone, Joy Conti, Nora Fischer, Kim Gibson, Arthur Schwab


The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 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 Third Circuit based in downtown Philadelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.

The Western 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 Western District of Pennsylvania consists of all the following counties in the western part of the state of Pennsylvania.

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 1.4 Congress.gov, "PN1312 — William Scott Hardy — The Judiciary," accessed December 3, 2019
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Congress.gov, "PN1345 — William Scott Hardy — The Judiciary," accessed January 10, 2020
  3. ↑ TribLive, "Trump nominates Scott Hardy to federal bench in Pittsburgh," November 6, 2019
  4. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Hardy, William Scott," accessed August 3, 2020
  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," January 8, 2020
  9. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," May 14, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees," November 6, 2019
  11. ↑ The Bradford Era, "Toomey, Casey laud Hardy’s court nomination," November 7, 2019
  12. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed January 8, 2020
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Ogletree Deakins, "W. Scott Hardy," accessed November 7, 2019
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees," accessed January 8, 2020
Political offices
Preceded by:
Nora Fischer 		Western District of Pennsylvania
2020 – Present
Seat #7 		Succeeded by:
NA



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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