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Jennifer Philpott Wilson

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

Education

Bachelor's

Swarthmore College, 1997

Law

Brooklyn Law School, 2001

Contact

Official website

Jennifer Philpott Wilson is a judge on theUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. On May 13, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Wilson to a seat on this court. TheU.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 88-3.^[1] She received commission on November 8, 2019.^[2] To see a full list of judges appointed byDonald Trump,click here.

TheUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania 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.

Wilson was a partner with Philpott Wilson LLP, inDuncannon, Pennsylvania, from 2009 to 2019.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 13, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Wilson as anArticle III judge on theU.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. TheU.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, by a vote of 88-3.^[1] To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: Jennifer Philpott Wilson
Court:United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 178 days after nomination.
ANominated: May 13, 2019
AABA Rating:Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
AHearing: June 5, 2019

QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)

AReported: June 27, 2019
AConfirmed: November 7, 2019
AVote: 88-3

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on November 7, 2019, on a vote of 88-3.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Wilson confirmation vote (November 7, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	36	3	6
Republican	51	0	2
Independent	1	0	1
Total	88	3	9

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Wilson was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, theU.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 todistrict court judgeships from 30 hours after invokingcloture to two.^[3]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as thenuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[4]

It was the third use of thenuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to theSupreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.^[5] For more, seeFilibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

TheSenate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Wilson's nomination on June 5, 2019.^[1] On June 27, 2019, the committee voted 18-4 to advance Wilson's nomination to the full Senate.^[6]

Nomination

Wilson was nominated to replace JudgeYvette Kane, who assumedsenior status on October 11, 2018.

TheAmerican Bar Association unanimously rated Wilsonwell qualified for the position.^[7] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

Early life and education

Wilson was born in 1975 inWashington, D.C. She obtained a B.A.,cum laude, from Swarthmore College in 1997 and herJ.D.,summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 2001. During her legal studies, she served as the executive notes and comments editor for theBrooklyn Law Review.^[8]^[9]

Professional career

2019-present: Judge,U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
2009-2019: Partner, Philpott Wilson LLP
2005-2009: Trial attorney,U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division
2003-2005: Associate, Chadbourne & Park LLP
2002-2003: Law clerk to JudgeJulio Fuentes,U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
2001-2002: Law clerk to JudgeJon McCalla,U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee^[8]^[9]

About the court

Middle District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit

Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Matthew Brann
Active judges: Matthew Brann,Karoline Mehalchick,Julia Munley,Keli Neary,Jennifer Philpott Wilson,Joseph Saporito Senior judges: Yvette Kane,Malachy Mannion,Robert David Mariani

TheUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is one of 94United States district courts. The court operates out ofScranton, Pennsylvania. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in downtownPhiladelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.

The Western District of Pennsylvania hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

BecauseHarrisburg, the state capital, is located within the district's jurisdiction, most suits against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are filed in the Middle District. Similarly, because York County Prison served as the largest Immigration and Naturalization Service facility in the Northeast, the Middle District previously adjudicated a large number of immigration cases. The courts of appeal are now responsible for most judicial review of immigration decisions, bypassing the Middle District and other district courts.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Middle District of Pennsylvania consists of approximately one-half ofPennsylvania. The following counties form the Middle District:

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.