Greg Katsas | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2008 | |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| Assumed office December 8, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Janice Rogers Brown |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for theCivil Division | |
| In office July 2008 – January 20, 2009 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Peter Keisler |
| Succeeded by | Tony West |
| United States Associate Attorney General | |
Acting | |
| In office June 22, 2007 – April 2008 | |
| President | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | William W. Mercer (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Kevin O'Connor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gregory George Katsas (1964-08-06)August 6, 1964 (age 61) Boston,Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Gregory George Katsas (born August 6, 1964) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as aUnited States circuit judge of theU.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[1] He was appointed in 2017 by PresidentDonald Trump. Before his appointment to the bench, Katsas served as DeputyWhite House Counsel in the first Trump administration, as anassistant attorney general in theUnited States Department of Justice, and as apartner at the law firmJones Day.
Katsas was born on August 6, 1964, inBoston,Massachusetts. His parents wereGreek immigrants.[2] Katsas graduated fromPrinceton University in 1986 with aBachelor of Arts,cum laude, inphilosophy. He then attendedHarvard Law School, where he was an executive editor of theHarvard Law Review and an editor of theHarvard Journal of Law and Public Policy.[3][4][5] He graduated in 1989 with aJuris Doctor,cum laude.
After law school, Katsas was alaw clerk to JudgeEdward R. Becker of theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1989 to 1990. From 1990 to 1991, Katsas clerked forClarence Thomas, who was then a judge of the District of Columbia Circuit. After PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush appointed Thomas to theU.S. Supreme Court in 1991, Katsas again clerked for Thomas from 1991 to 1992.[6][5]
Katsas then entered private practice at theWashington, D.C., office of the law firm Jones Day, where he specialized incivil andappellate litigation.[7] He argued more than 75 appeals, including three cases in the U.S. Supreme Court.[5] He was at Jones Day from 1992 to 2001, becoming a partner in 1999.[6]
From 2001 to 2009, Katsas served in various positions within theUnited States Department of Justice, including assistant attorney general for theCivil Division and Actingassociate attorney general.[5] Katsas returned to Jones Day from 2009 to 2017. From January to December 2017, Katsas served asdeputy White House counsel.
On September 7, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Katsas to serve as a United States circuit judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, to the seat vacated by JudgeJanice Rogers Brown, who retired on August 31, 2017.[8][9]
On October 17, 2017, a hearing on his nomination was held before theSenate Judiciary Committee.[10] On November 9, 2017, his nomination was reported out of committee by an 11–9 vote.[11][12]
On November 27, 2017, theUnited States Senate invokedcloture on his nomination by a 52–48 vote.[13] On November 28, 2017, by a party line vote except forJohn Neely Kennedy R-LA[14] andJoe Manchin D-WV, withBob Corker andJohn McCain absent, Katsas was confirmed by a 50–48 vote.[15] He received his judicial commission on December 8, 2017.[16]
He is currently considered the top “feeder” judge, sending the highest number of his law clerks to clerk on the Supreme Court since his appointment to the bench in 2018. Katsas “has sent at least 18 of his law clerks to the high court since the October 2019 term,” according toNational Law Journal.[17][18]
He is a member of theFederalist Society,[25] and also a member of theAmerican Academy of Appellate Lawyers.[6]
In 2009, he was awarded theEdmund Randolph award for outstanding service, the highest award bestowed by the U.S. Department of Justice.[6]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William W. Mercer Acting | United States Associate Attorney General Acting 2007–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | United States Assistant Attorney General for theCivil Division 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 2017–present | Incumbent |
