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Christopher Droney

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Christopher Droney
Nonpartisan
Prior offices:
United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Years in office: 2019 - 2020
Years in office: 2011 - 2019
United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Years in office: 1997 - 2011
Education
Bachelor's
College of the Holy Cross, 1976
Law
University of Connecticut School of Law, 1979
Personal
Birthplace
Hartford, CT


Christopher F. Droney was afederal judge on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. He joined the court in 2011 after a nomination from PresidentBarack Obama (D). Droney retired from full-time service, assumingsenior status, on June 30, 2019. He left the court on January 2, 2020, to work in private practice.[1]

Before his nomination, Droney was a judge for theUnited States District Court for the District of Connecticut. He joined the district court in 1997 after a nomination from former PresidentBill Clinton (D).[2]

Early life and education

A native ofHartford, Connecticut, Droney graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with his bachelor's degree in 1976 and from the University of Connecticut School of Law with hisJ.D. in 1979.[2]

Professional career

Federal judicial career

2nd Circuit Court of Appeals

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Christopher Droney
Court:United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 208 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: May 4, 2011
ApprovedAABA Rating:Unanimously Well Qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: June 22, 2011
QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: July 21, 2011 
ApprovedAConfirmed: November 28, 2011
ApprovedAVote: 88-0

On May 4, 2011, PresidentObama nominatedChristopher Droney to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to a seat vacated by JudgeGuido Calabresi.[3] Obama told the press, "At every step of his career Judge Droney has performed with excellence and unwavering integrity. I am confident he will serve the American people with distinction on the Circuit Court bench."[4]

Droney was ratedUnanimously Well Qualified by theAmerican Bar Association.[5] Hearings on Droney's nomination were held before theSenate Judiciary Committee on June 22, 2011, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen.Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on July 21, 2011. Droney was confirmed by theU.S. Senate on November 28, 2011, by a vote of 88-0, and he received his commission on December 1, 2011. Droney retired from full-time service, assumingsenior status, on June 30, 2019.[2][6] Droney left the court on January 2, 2020, to work in private practice.[1]

U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

Droney was nominated to theU.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut by former PresidentBill Clinton on June 5, 1997, to a seat vacated by JudgeAlan Nevas. TheAmerican Bar Association rated DroneyUnanimously Qualified for the nomination.[7] Hearings on Droney's nomination were held before theSenate Judiciary Committee on June 25, 1997, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen.Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on July 31, 1997. Droney was confirmed on a unanimous 100-0 vote of theU.S. Senate on September 11, 1997, and he received his commission on September 18, 1997. He resigned the court on November 28, 2011, upon his elevation to theSecond Circuit.[2][8]

Noteworthy cases

SCOTUS reverses Second Circuit ruling in TV copyright case (2014)

See also:United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit (American Broadcasting Company v. Aereo)

On June 25, 2014, theU.S. Supreme Courtreversed the judgment of a three-judge panel of theSecond Circuit. JudgeChristopher Droney issued the opinion of the panel in the case.

Aereo Inc. was aNew York-based corporation whose internet service allowed its subscribers to both watch live programs airing on network television or to record future programs over the internet. Aereo did not have a license from the copyright holders of the programs to record or transmit their programs. Plaintiffs, including the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), moved forinjunctive relief in federal court, claiming that the transmission of the programs violated their copyright. A federal district court denied the plaintiffs' motion, holding that Aereo's system was not substantially different from other, similar systems that were legal. In an opinion for a three-judge panel of theSecond Circuit, JudgeChristopher Droney upheld the district court's order. Judge Droney wrote, "Aereo's transmissions of unique copies of broadcast television programs created at its users' requests and transmitted while the programs are still airing on broadcast television are not 'public performances' of the Plaintiffs' copyrighted works ... As such, Plaintiffs have not demonstrated that they are likely to prevail on the merits on this claim in their copyright infringement action. Nor have they demonstrated serious questions as to the merits and a balance of hardships that tips decidedly in their favor. We thereforeaffirm the order of the district court denying the Plaintiffs' motion."[9]

Writing for a six-justice majority of theU.S. Supreme Court, JusticeStephen Breyerreversed the circuit court's decision, holding Aereo functioned similarly to community antenna television, which brought Aereo within restrictions of the Copyright Act.[10][11]

See also

External links


Footnotes

  1. ↑1.01.1Hartford Courant, "Federal Judge Christopher Droney to leave U.S. Circuit Court for position with Hartford law firm," August 27, 2019
  2. ↑2.02.12.22.32.4Federal Judicial Center, "Biographical directory of federal judges," accessed December 15, 2015
  3. ↑The White House, "Nominations sent to Senate," May 4, 2011
  4. ↑The White House, "President Obama nominates Judge Christopher Droney to serve on United States Circuit Court," May 4, 2011
  5. ↑American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees, 112th Congress," accessed June 6, 2016
  6. ↑United States Congress, "PN 465 - Christopher Droney - The Judiciary," accessed June 6, 2016
  7. ↑United States Congress, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees, 105th Congress," accessed June 6, 2016
  8. ↑United States Congress, "PN 362 - Christopher Droney - The Judiciary," accessed June 6, 2016
  9. ↑U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit,WNET Thirteen et al. v. American Broadcasting Companies et al., April 1, 2013
  10. ↑Supreme Court of the United States,ABC et al. v. Aereo, Inc., June 25, 2014
  11. ↑Oyez.org, "ABC, Inc. v. Aereo, Inc.," accessed October 11, 2017
Political offices
Preceded by:
Guido Calabresi		Second Circuit
2011–2019
Seat #3		Succeeded by:
William Nardini
Preceded by:
Alan Nevas		District of Connecticut
1997–2011
Seat #6		Succeeded by:
Michael Shea



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Federal judges who have served theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Active judges

Chief Judge: Debra Livingston  •  Joseph Bianco  •  Richard Sullivan (New York)  •  Maria Araujo Kahn  •  Raymond Lohier  •  Alison J. Nathan  •  Beth Robinson  •  Sarah A.L. Merriam  •  Michael Park  •  Steven Menashi  •  William Nardini  •  Eunice Lee  •  Myrna Pérez

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Former judgesChristopher Droney  •  Julian William Mack  •  Frank Altimari  •  Samuel Blatchford  •  Alexander Smith Johnson  •  Nathaniel Shipman  •  William James Wallace  •  Lewis Bartholomew Woodruff  •  Sonia Sotomayor  •  Wilfred Feinberg  •  Ralph Winter  •  Roger Miner  •  Rosemary Pooler  •  Robert Katzmann  •  Peter Hall (Federal judge)  •  John Mahoney (Second Circuit)  •  George Pratt  •  Richard Cardamone  •  Lawrence Pierce  •  Thomas Meskill  •  William Mulligan  •  James Oakes  •  William Timbers  •  Fred Parker  •  Alfred Conkling Coxe  •  Emile Henry Lacombe  •  William Kneeland Townsend  •  Charles Merrill Hough  •  Walter Chadwick Noyes  •  Henry Galbraith Ward  •  John Harlan II  •  Learned Hand  •  Martin Augustine Knapp  •  Julius Marshuetz Mayer  •  Augustus Noble Hand  •  Martin Thomas Manton  •  Henry Wade Rogers  •  Harrie Brigham Chase  •  Thomas Walter Swan  •  Carroll Hincks  •  Charles Edward Clark  •  John Joseph Smith (United States District Court for the District of Connecticut judge)  •  Robert Palmer Anderson  •  Robert Porter Patterson, Sr.  •  Murray Gurfein  •  Irving Kaufman  •  Walter Mansfield  •  Harold Medina  •  Thurgood Marshall  •  Jerome Frank  •  Henry Friendly  •  Paul Hays  •  Joseph Lumbard  •  Leonard Moore  •  Ellsworth Van Graafeiland  •  Sterry Waterman  •  
Former Chief judges

Wilfred Feinberg  •  Jon Newman  •  Ralph Winter  •  John Walker (New York)  •  Robert Katzmann  •  Thomas Meskill  •  James Oakes  •  Learned Hand  •  Harrie Brigham Chase  •  Thomas Walter Swan  •  Charles Edward Clark  •  Irving Kaufman  •  Henry Friendly  •  Joseph Lumbard  •  


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