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David Leibowitz (Florida)

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David Leibowitz

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Tenure

2024 - Present

Years in position

Predecessor:Federico Moreno (Nonpartisan)

Education

Bachelor's

University of Pennsylvania, 1993

Ph.D

London School of Economics and Political Science, 1998

Law

University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2000

Contact

Official website

David S. Leibowitz is a judge on theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He was nominated to the court by PresidentJoe Biden (D) on November 6, 2023, and confirmed by theUnited States Senate on February 27, 2024, by a vote of 64-33.^[1] Leibowitz was one of 235Article III judges nominated by PresidentJoe Biden (D) and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. To see a full list of judges appointed byJoe Biden,click here.

TheUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94U.S. District Courts. They are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. To learn more about the court,click here.

Prior to joining the court, Leibowitz was corporate counsel for Braman Management Association.^[2]^[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (2024-present)

See also:Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On November 6, 2023, PresidentJoe Biden (D) nominated Leibowitz to theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Leibowitz received commission on March 1, 2024.^[1] To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: David S. Leibowitz
Court:United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Progress
Confirmed 113 days after nomination.
ANominated: November 6, 2023
AABA Rating: Well Qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
AHearing: November 29, 2023
Hearing Transcript:Hearing Transcript
QFRs:(Hover over QFRs to read more)

AReported: January 18, 2023
AConfirmed: February 27, 2024
AVote: 64-33

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Leibowitz by a vote of 64-33 on February 27, 2024.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Leibowitz confirmation vote (February 27, 2024)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	48	0	0
Republican	13	33	3
Independent	3	0	0
Total	64^[4]	33	3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

TheSenate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Leibowitz's nomination on November 29, 2023.^[5] He was reported to the full Senate on January 18, 2023, after a 16-5 committee vote.^[6]

Nomination

On November 6, 2023, PresidentJoe Biden (D) nominated David S. Leibowitz to theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Leibowitz was nominated to replace JudgeFederico Moreno, who assumedsenior status on July 17, 2020.^[7] Leibowitz's nomination was returned to the president at thesine die adjournment of theU.S. Senate on January 3, 2024. The president renominated Leibowitz on January 8, 2024.^[1]

TheAmerican Bar Association (ABA) rated Leibowitzwell qualified.^[8] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

Biography

Education

Leibowitz earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1998, and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2000.^[9]

Professional career

2024-present: Judge,United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2012-2024: Braman Management Association, Miami, Florida,
- 2023-2024: Assistant secretary and assistant general counsel
- 2015-2023: Secretary and general counsel
- 2012-2015: Assistant general counsel
2003-2009, 2010-2012: Assistant U.S. attorney, Criminal Division, Southern District of New York
- 2010-2012: Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force
- 2007-2009: Terrorism and National Security Unit
- 2005-2007: Violent Crimes Unit
- 2004-2005: Narcotics Unit
- 2003-2004: General Crimes Unit
2001-2003: Assistant district attorney, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- 2002-2003: Special Investigations Unit
- 2001-2002: Appeals and Training Bureau
2000-2001: Law clerk, Hon. Robert G. Flanders, Jr., Supreme Court of Rhode Island^[9]

About the court

Southern District of Florida
Eleventh Circuit

Judgeships
Posts: 19
Judges: 18
Vacancies: 1
Judges
Chief:Cecilia Altonaga
Active judges: Roy Altman,Cecilia Altonaga,Edward Artau,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

TheUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses inMiami,Fort Lauderdale,West Palm Beach, andFort Pierce. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit based in downtownAtlanta at the Elbert P. Tuttle Federal Courthouse.The Southern District of Florida hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The following counties are located in the Southern District of Florida:

To read opinions published by this court, clickhere.

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 theSenate 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 ablue 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.