Thomas McAvoy

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Thomas McAvoy

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (senior status)
Tenure

2003 - Present

Years in position

21

Prior offices
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
Successor: Gary Sharpe

Education

Bachelor's

Villanova University, 1960

Law

Albany Law School, 1964

Personal
Birthplace
Johnson City, N.Y.

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Thomas J. McAvoy is a federal judge on senior status for the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. He joined the court in 1986 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan. McAvoy served as the chief judge of the Northern District of New York from 1993 to 2000, before assuming senior status on September 17, 2003. McAvoy was succeeded in this position by Gary Sharpe.[1]

Education

McAvoy graduated from Villanova University with his B.A. in 1960, and later graduated from Albany Law School with his J.D. in 1964.[1]

Professional career

McAvoy worked as a private practice attorney licensed in the State of New York from 1964 to 1985, and served as a member of the Broome County Legislature from 1971 to 1986.[1]

Judicial career

Northern District of New York

On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Al D'Amato, McAvoy was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on January 29, 1986, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333, which was passed by Congress. McAvoy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 3, 1986, and received commission on March 4, 1986. McAvoy served as the chief judge of the Northern District of New York from 1993 to 2000, before later assuming senior status on September 17, 2003. McAvoy was succeeded in this position by Gary Sharpe.[1]

Noteworthy cases

Illegal gambling indictments dismissed (2014)

At the request of prosecutors, Judge McAvoy dismissed gambling indictments against two men who were accused of operating an illegal casino on St. Regis Mohawk tribal grounds. Three other men were found not guilty of similar charges following a trial in December 2013.

Articles:

$36 million tax fraud and evasion conviction (2013)

On October 21, 2013, a jury convicted Glenn Unger of seven counts related to tax fraud and tax evasion after he sought to obtain more $36 million in tax refunds from the IRS between 2007 and 2011. The specific charges were as follows: obstructing and impeding the Internal Revenue Service; filing false claims against the United States; tax evasion; and passing fictitious obligations. At the outset of the trial, Unger, a member of the sovereign citizen movement, asserted that the court had no jurisdiction over him. Unger represented himself for a portion of the trial, but was ultimately removed from the courtroom following his disruptive behavior by Judge McAvoy. Unger faced up to 25 years in prison for his crimes.[2][3]

Muslim defamation case (2013)
See also: United States District Court for the Northern District of New York

Judge McAvoy presided over a dispute in which a Muslim group accused the Christian Action Network of defamation for publishing a book that accused the Muslim group of holding terrorist training in their residential communities. The Muslim group had a community in Hancock, New York, and other communities around the United States. The Christian Action Network denied the allegations and asked McAvoy to dismiss the complaint.[4]

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Thomas James McAvoy, accessed July 30, 2014"
  2. ↑ Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Press Release: Former Orthodontist Convicted of Attempting to Scam the IRS of $36 Million," October 21, 2013
  3. ↑ Times Union, "Group's 'elder' guilty of tax scam," October 22, 2013
  4. ↑ Washington Times, "Muslim group sues to ban Christian Action Network book, quash claims of terror training," May 10, 2013
Political offices
Preceded by:
NA 		Northern District of New York
1986–2003 		Succeeded by:
Gary Sharpe



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