History / Courts

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

81 judges have served since Jun 24, 1938. Now: Sparkle Leah Sooknanan DAmir Hatem Mahdy Ali DLoren Linn AliKhan DAna Cecilia Reyes DJia Michelle Cobb DCarl John Nichols RDabney Langhorne Friedrich RTrevor Neil McFadden RTimothy James Kelly RAmit Priyavadan Mehta DRandolph Daniel Moss DTanya Sue Chutkan DChristopher Reid Cooper DRudolph Contreras DJames Emanuel Boasberg D.

Judges
81
58 D · 22 R · 1 N(
Longest tenure
27 years
Emmet G. Sullivan
Current
21 months
Sparkle Leah Sooknanan, since Jan 2, 2025
history/court/district-court-for-the-district-of-columbiaEvery holder, newest first
+81
194019501960197019801990200020102020Bolitha James Laws · 1938-06-24 – 1945-03-02 · DemocratAlexander Holtzoff · 1945-09-28 – 1967-12-31 · DemocratJune Lazenby Green · 1968-06-07 – 1984-01-15 · DemocratGeorge Hughes Revercomb · 1985-12-17 – 1993-08-01 · RepublicanGladys Kessler · 1994-06-16 – 2007-01-22 · DemocratRobert Leon Wilkins · 2010-12-27 – 2014-01-24 · DemocratChristopher Reid Cooper · 2014-03-28 – present · DemocratThomas Alan Goldsborough · 1939-02-23 – 1951-06-16 · DemocratLuther Wallace Youngdahl · 1951-08-29 – 1966-05-29 · DemocratJohn Lewis Smith, Jr. · 1966-11-03 – 1983-01-31 · DemocratStanley S. Harris · 1983-11-14 – 1996-02-01 · RepublicanColleen Kollar-Kotelly · 1997-03-26 – 2023-02-21 · DemocratAna Cecilia Reyes · 2023-02-21 – present · DemocratJames Ward Morris · 1939-06-19 – 1960-11-15 · DemocratWilliam Blakely Jones · 1962-04-12 – 1977-03-20 · DemocratLouis Falk Oberdorfer · 1977-10-11 – 1992-07-31 · DemocratPaul L. Friedman · 1994-06-16 – 2009-12-31 · DemocratBeryl Alaine Howell · 2010-12-27 – 2024-02-01 · DemocratAmir Hatem Mahdy Ali · 2024-11-22 – present · DemocratDavid Andrew Pine · 1940-03-29 – 1965-04-02 · DemocratOliver Gasch · 1965-08-11 – 1981-11-30 · DemocratThomas Penfield Jackson · 1982-06-25 – 2002-01-31 · RepublicanRichard J. Leon · 2002-02-19 – 2016-12-31 · RepublicanTimothy James Kelly · 2017-09-08 – present · RepublicanMatthew Francis McGuire · 1941-08-01 – 1966-10-07 · DemocratAubrey Eugene Robinson, Jr. · 1966-11-03 – 1992-03-01 · DemocratRicardo M. Urbina · 1994-06-16 – 2011-01-31 · DemocratJames Emanuel Boasberg · 2011-03-17 – present · DemocratEdward Clayton Eicher · 1942-01-23 – 1944-11-30 · DemocratHenry Albert Schweinhaut · 1944-12-19 – 1956-11-16 · DemocratJohn Joseph Sirica · 1957-03-28 – 1977-10-31 · RepublicanHarold H. Greene · 1978-05-19 – 1995-08-06 · DemocratHenry Harold Kennedy, Jr. · 1997-09-18 – 2011-11-18 · DemocratRudolph Contreras · 2012-03-23 – present · DemocratBolitha James Laws · 1945-02-23 – 1948-09-01 · DemocratBolitha James Laws · 1948-09-01 – 1958-11-14 · None (reassignment)George Luzerne Hart, Jr. · 1959-09-10 – 1979-05-16 · RepublicanNorma Holloway Johnson · 1980-05-12 – 2001-06-18 · DemocratReggie B. Walton · 2001-09-24 – 2015-12-31 · RepublicanTrevor Neil McFadden · 2017-10-31 – present · RepublicanRichmond Bowling Keech · 1947-01-24 – 1966-11-01 · DemocratJoseph Cornelius Waddy · 1967-03-04 – 1978-08-01 · DemocratJohn Garrett Penn · 1979-03-23 – 1998-03-31 · DemocratRichard W. Roberts · 1998-06-23 – 2016-03-16 · DemocratDabney Langhorne Friedrich · 2017-12-01 – present · RepublicanEdward Matthew Curran · 1947-02-05 – 1971-04-02 · DemocratCharles Robert Richey · 1971-05-05 – 1997-01-23 · RepublicanEllen Segal Huvelle · 1999-10-26 – 2014-06-03 · DemocratTanya Sue Chutkan · 2014-06-05 – present · DemocratEdward Allen Tamm · 1949-04-01 – 1965-03-17 · DemocratWilliam Benson Bryant · 1965-08-11 – 1982-01-31 · DemocratThomas Francis Hogan · 1982-08-20 – 2008-05-01 · RepublicanAmy Berman Jackson · 2011-03-18 – 2023-05-01 · DemocratLoren Linn AliKhan · 2023-12-13 – present · DemocratCharles Francis McLaughlin · 1950-03-01 – 1964-12-31 · DemocratHoward Francis Corcoran · 1965-03-11 – 1977-11-30 · DemocratJoyce Hens Green · 1979-05-11 – 1995-07-01 · DemocratJohn D. Bates · 2001-12-14 – 2014-10-12 · RepublicanRandolph Daniel Moss · 2014-11-14 – present · DemocratJames Robert Kirkland · 1950-03-09 – 1958-02-25 · DemocratLeonard Patrick Walsh · 1959-09-14 – 1971-10-05 · RepublicanThomas Aquinas Flannery · 1971-12-06 – 1985-05-10 · RepublicanStanley Sporkin · 1985-12-17 – 1999-02-12 · RepublicanRosemary M. Collyer · 2002-11-15 – 2016-05-18 · RepublicanCarl John Nichols · 2019-06-25 – present · RepublicanBurnita Shelton Matthews · 1950-04-07 – 1968-03-01 · DemocratJohn Helm Pratt · 1968-06-07 – 1989-12-01 · DemocratMichael Boudin · 1990-08-07 – 1992-01-31 · RepublicanEmmet G. Sullivan · 1994-06-16 – 2021-04-03 · DemocratFlorence Y. Pan · 2021-09-23 – 2022-09-28 · DemocratSparkle Leah Sooknanan · 2025-01-02 – present · DemocratWalter Maximillian Bastian · 1950-12-22 – 1954-12-15 · DemocratSpottswood William Robinson, III · 1964-07-02 – 1966-11-09 · DemocratGerhard Alden Gesell · 1967-12-12 – 1993-01-22 · DemocratJames Robertson · 1994-10-11 – 2008-12-31 · DemocratKetanji Brown Jackson · 2013-03-26 – 2021-06-17 · DemocratJia Michelle Cobb · 2021-11-12 – present · DemocratJoseph Charles McGarraghy · 1954-12-03 – 1967-12-17 · RepublicanBarrington Daniels Parker, Sr. · 1969-12-19 – 1985-12-19 · RepublicanRoyce C. Lamberth · 1987-11-16 – 2013-07-15 · RepublicanAmit Priyavadan Mehta · 2014-12-19 – present · Democrat
Sparkle Leah Sooknanan D
Jan 2, 2025 – present · 21 months · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 50–48
Amir Hatem Mahdy Ali D
Nov 22, 2024 – present · 23 months · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 50–49
Loren Linn AliKhan D
Dec 13, 2023 – present · 2.8 years · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 51–50
Ana Cecilia Reyes D
Feb 21, 2023 – present · 3.6 years · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 51–47
Jia Michelle Cobb D
Nov 12, 2021 – present · 4.9 years · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 52–45
Florence Y. Pan D
Sep 23, 2021 – Sep 28, 2022 · 12 months · appointed by Joseph R. Biden · confirmed 68–30
Carl John Nichols R
Jun 25, 2019 – present · 7.3 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 55–43
Dabney Langhorne Friedrich R
Dec 1, 2017 – present · 8.9 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 97–3
Trevor Neil McFadden R
Oct 31, 2017 – present · 9 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 84–10
Timothy James Kelly R
Sep 8, 2017 – present · 9.1 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 94–2
Amit Priyavadan Mehta D
Dec 19, 2014 – present · 12 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Randolph Daniel Moss D
Nov 14, 2014 – present · 12 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 54–45
Tanya Sue Chutkan D
Jun 5, 2014 – present · 12 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 95–0
Christopher Reid Cooper D
Mar 28, 2014 – present · 13 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 100–0
Ketanji Brown Jackson D
Mar 26, 2013 – Jun 17, 2021 · 8.2 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Rudolph Contreras D
Mar 23, 2012 – present · 15 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Amy Berman Jackson D
Mar 18, 2011 – May 1, 2023 · 12 years · appointed by Barack Obama · senior status May 1, 2023 · confirmed 97–0
James Emanuel Boasberg D
Mar 17, 2011 – present · 16 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 96–0
Robert Leon Wilkins D
Dec 27, 2010 – Jan 24, 2014 · 3.1 years · appointed by Barack Obama
Beryl Alaine Howell D
Dec 27, 2010 – Feb 1, 2024 · 13 years · appointed by Barack Obama · senior status Feb 1, 2024
Rosemary M. Collyer R
Nov 15, 2002 – May 18, 2016 · 14 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status May 18, 2016
Richard J. Leon R
Feb 19, 2002 – Dec 31, 2016 · 15 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Dec 31, 2016
John D. Bates R
Dec 14, 2001 – Oct 12, 2014 · 13 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Oct 12, 2014 · confirmed 97–0
Reggie B. Walton R
Sep 24, 2001 – Dec 31, 2015 · 14 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Dec 31, 2015 · confirmed 97–0
Ellen Segal Huvelle D
Oct 26, 1999 – Jun 3, 2014 · 15 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Jun 3, 2014
Richard W. Roberts D
Jun 23, 1998 – Mar 16, 2016 · 18 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Mar 16, 2016
Henry Harold Kennedy, Jr. D
Sep 18, 1997 – Nov 18, 2011 · 14 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Nov 18, 2011 · confirmed 96–0
Colleen Kollar-Kotelly D
Mar 26, 1997 – Feb 21, 2023 · 26 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Feb 21, 2023
James Robertson D
Oct 11, 1994 – Dec 31, 2008 · 14 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Dec 31, 2008
Gladys Kessler D
Jun 16, 1994 – Jan 22, 2007 · 13 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Jan 22, 2007
Paul L. Friedman D
Jun 16, 1994 – Dec 31, 2009 · 16 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Dec 31, 2009
Ricardo M. Urbina D
Jun 16, 1994 – Jan 31, 2011 · 17 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Jan 31, 2011
Emmet G. Sullivan D
Jun 16, 1994 – Apr 3, 2021 · 27 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Apr 3, 2021
Michael Boudin R
Aug 7, 1990 – Jan 31, 1992 · 18 months · appointed by George H.W. Bush
Royce C. Lamberth R
Nov 16, 1987 – Jul 15, 2013 · 26 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Jul 15, 2013
George Hughes Revercomb R
Dec 17, 1985 – Aug 1, 1993 · 7.6 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan
Stanley Sporkin R
Dec 17, 1985 – Feb 12, 1999 · 13 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Feb 12, 1999
Stanley S. Harris R
Nov 14, 1983 – Feb 1, 1996 · 12 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Feb 1, 1996
Thomas Francis Hogan R
Aug 20, 1982 – May 1, 2008 · 26 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status May 1, 2008
Thomas Penfield Jackson R
Jun 25, 1982 – Jan 31, 2002 · 20 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Jan 31, 2002
Norma Holloway Johnson D
May 12, 1980 – Jun 18, 2001 · 21 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Jun 18, 2001
Joyce Hens Green D
May 11, 1979 – Jul 1, 1995 · 16 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Jul 1, 1995
John Garrett Penn D
Mar 23, 1979 – Mar 31, 1998 · 19 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Mar 31, 1998
Harold H. Greene D
May 19, 1978 – Aug 6, 1995 · 17 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Aug 6, 1995
Louis Falk Oberdorfer D
Oct 11, 1977 – Jul 31, 1992 · 15 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Jul 31, 1992
Thomas Aquinas Flannery R
Dec 6, 1971 – May 10, 1985 · 13 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status May 10, 1985
Charles Robert Richey R
May 5, 1971 – Jan 23, 1997 · 26 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status Jan 23, 1997
Barrington Daniels Parker, Sr. R
Dec 19, 1969 – Dec 19, 1985 · 16 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status Dec 19, 1985
June Lazenby Green D
Jun 7, 1968 – Jan 15, 1984 · 16 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jan 15, 1984
John Helm Pratt D
Jun 7, 1968 – Dec 1, 1989 · 21 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Dec 1, 1989
Gerhard Alden Gesell D
Dec 12, 1967 – Jan 22, 1993 · 25 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jan 22, 1993
Joseph Cornelius Waddy D
Mar 4, 1967 – Aug 1, 1978 · 11 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
John Lewis Smith, Jr. D
Nov 3, 1966 – Jan 31, 1983 · 16 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jan 31, 1983
Aubrey Eugene Robinson, Jr. D
Nov 3, 1966 – Mar 1, 1992 · 25 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Mar 1, 1992
Oliver Gasch D
Aug 11, 1965 – Nov 30, 1981 · 16 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Nov 30, 1981
William Benson Bryant D
Aug 11, 1965 – Jan 31, 1982 · 16 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jan 31, 1982
Howard Francis Corcoran D
Mar 11, 1965 – Nov 30, 1977 · 13 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Nov 30, 1977
Spottswood William Robinson, III D
Jul 2, 1964 – Nov 9, 1966 · 2.4 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson
William Blakely Jones D
Apr 12, 1962 – Mar 20, 1977 · 15 years · appointed by John F. Kennedy · senior status Mar 20, 1977
Leonard Patrick Walsh R
Sep 14, 1959 – Oct 5, 1971 · 12 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Oct 5, 1971
George Luzerne Hart, Jr. R
Sep 10, 1959 – May 16, 1979 · 20 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status May 16, 1979
John Joseph Sirica R
Mar 28, 1957 – Oct 31, 1977 · 21 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Oct 31, 1977
Joseph Charles McGarraghy R
Dec 3, 1954 – Dec 17, 1967 · 13 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Dec 17, 1967
Luther Wallace Youngdahl D
Aug 29, 1951 – May 29, 1966 · 15 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · senior status May 29, 1966
Walter Maximillian Bastian D
Dec 22, 1950 – Dec 15, 1954 · 4 years · appointed by Harry S Truman
Burnita Shelton Matthews D
Apr 7, 1950 – Mar 1, 1968 · 18 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · senior status Mar 1, 1968
James Robert Kirkland D
Mar 9, 1950 – Feb 25, 1958 · 8 years · appointed by Harry S Truman
Charles Francis McLaughlin D
Mar 1, 1950 – Dec 31, 1964 · 15 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · senior status Dec 31, 1964
Edward Allen Tamm D
Apr 1, 1949 – Mar 17, 1965 · 16 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · Associate Justice
Bolitha James Laws N(
Sep 1, 1948 – Nov 14, 1958 · 10 years · appointed by None (reassignment)
Edward Matthew Curran D
Feb 5, 1947 – Apr 2, 1971 · 24 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · Associate Justice · senior status Apr 2, 1971
Richmond Bowling Keech D
Jan 24, 1947 – Nov 1, 1966 · 20 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · Associate Justice · senior status Nov 1, 1966
Alexander Holtzoff D
Sep 28, 1945 – Dec 31, 1967 · 22 years · appointed by Harry S Truman · Associate Justice · senior status Dec 31, 1967
Bolitha James Laws D
Feb 23, 1945 – Sep 1, 1948 · 3.5 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Chief Justice
Henry Albert Schweinhaut D
Dec 19, 1944 – Nov 16, 1956 · 12 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice · senior status Nov 16, 1956
Edward Clayton Eicher D
Jan 23, 1942 – Nov 30, 1944 · 2.9 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Chief Justice
Matthew Francis McGuire D
Aug 1, 1941 – Oct 7, 1966 · 25 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice · senior status Oct 7, 1966
David Andrew Pine D
Mar 29, 1940 – Apr 2, 1965 · 25 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice · senior status Apr 2, 1965
James Ward Morris D
Jun 19, 1939 – Nov 15, 1960 · 21 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice
Thomas Alan Goldsborough D
Feb 23, 1939 – Jun 16, 1951 · 12 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice
Bolitha James Laws D
Jun 24, 1938 – Mar 2, 1945 · 6.7 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · Associate Justice

Dates are from the Federal Judicial Center (commission to senior status or departure). Consecutive terms of one person are merged.