Sarah A. L. Merriam Explained

Sarah A. L. Merriam
Office:Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Term Start:September 23, 2022
Appointer:Joe Biden
Predecessor:Susan L. Carney
Office1:Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Appointer1:Joe Biden
Term Start1:October 8, 2021
Term End1:September 28, 2022
Predecessor1:Janet C. Hall
Successor1:vacant
Office2:Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Term Start2:April 3, 2015
Term End2:October 8, 2021
Predecessor2:Holly B. Fitzsimmons
Successor2:Maria E. Garcia
Birth Place:Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Education:
Yale University (JD)
Duke University (LLM)
Party:Democratic

Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam (born 1971)[1] is an American attorney serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She is a former United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut and former district judge of the same court.[2]

Early life and education

Merriam was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, where she attended the Hopkins School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University in 1993, a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 2000, and a Master of Laws in judicial studies from the Duke University School of Law in 2018.[3] [4]

Career

Merriam clerked for Judge Alvin W. Thompson of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut from 2000 to 2002 and Judge Thomas Meskill of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2002 to 2003. She began her career as an associate with Cowdery, Ecker & Murphy in Hartford, Connecticut. From 2007 to 2015, Merriam served as an assistant public defender for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut.[5]

Merriam was political director for a state employee union and helped manage the campaigns of two Democratic U.S. Senators, Chris Murphy and Chris Dodd.[6]

United States magistrate judge

In March 2015, Merriam was selected as a magistrate judge of the District of Connecticut.[7] She replaced Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons, who retired.[8] She was sworn in on April 3, 2015.[9] Her service terminated on October 8, 2021, when she was elevated to a district court judge.

District court service

On June 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Merriam to serve as a United States district judge for the District of Connecticut to the seat vacated by Judge Janet C. Hall, who assumed senior status on January 21, 2021.[10] On July 14, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[11] On August 5, 2021, her nomination was favorably reported by the committee by a 13–9 vote.[12] On October 4, 2021, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture on her nomination.[13] On October 6, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 53–47 vote.[14] Her nomination was confirmed later that day by a 54–46 vote.[15] She received her judicial commission on October 8, 2021. She was sworn in on October 12, 2021.[16] Her service as a district judge was terminated on September 28, 2022, when she was elevated to the court of appeals.

Court of appeals service

On April 27, 2022, President Joe Biden announced he would nominate Merriam to serve as a United States circuit judge for the Second Circuit.[17] [18] On May 19, 2022, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Merriam to the seat to be vacated by Judge Susan L. Carney, who announced her intent to assume senior status upon confirmation of a successor.[19] On May 25, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[20] On June 16, 2022, her nomination was favorably reported by the committee by a 12–10 vote.[21] On September 12, 2022, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed cloture on her nomination.[22] On September 14, 2022, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 52–47 vote.[23] On September 15, 2022, her nomination was confirmed by a 53–44 vote.[24] She received her judicial commission on September 23, 2022.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam . July 12, 2021 . July 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210712235712/https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Merriam%20SJQ%20Public%20Final.pdf . live .
  2. Web site: Sarah A. L. Merriam District of Connecticut United States District Court. June 15, 2021. www.ctd.uscourts.gov. June 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210608005208/https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/content/sarah-l-merriam. live.
  3. Web site: June 15, 2021 . President Biden Announces 4th Slate of Judicial Nominations . June 15, 2021 . The White House . en-US . June 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210615161423/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/15/president-biden-announces-4th-slate-of-judicial-nominations/ . live .
  4. Web site: Biography – Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam District of Connecticut United States District Court. June 15, 2021. www.ctd.uscourts.gov. June 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210608005647/https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/biography-judge-sarah-l-merriam. live.
  5. Web site: Mahony . Edmund H. . President Biden nominates three lawyers to fill vacant federal judgeships in Connecticut . June 15, 2021 . courant.com . June 15, 2021 . June 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210618110348/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-biden-federal-judges-20210615-20210615-26r4qfvfbzgvfpzgrib7pic3ru-story.html . live .
  6. News: Mahony . Edmund H. . Sarah Merriam, the first of the state's three U.S. judicial nominees, breezes though an initial Senate hearing . courant.com . July 14, 2021 . September 28, 2021 . September 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210928171555/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-merriam-senate-20210714-20210714-7ahc4mdgsnfv3l6uguobupjadq-story.html . live .
  7. Sarah A.L. Merriam '00 Selected as a United States Magistrate Judge. March 25, 2015. Yale Law School. June 17, 2021.
  8. Web site: Rodinone. Nicholas. March 25, 2015. Federal Defender Named U.S. Magistrate Judge. June 17, 2021. courant.com. June 24, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210624200222/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-new-us-magistrate-judge-0326-20150325-story.html. live.
  9. Web site: Sarah A.L. Merriam. June 17, 2021. United States Courts. en. May 15, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230515193151/https://www.uscourts.gov/judicial-milestones/sarah-al-merriam. live.
  10. Web site: Nominations Sent to the Senate. June 15, 2021. The White House. June 15, 2021. August 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210804234641/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/15/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-20/. live.
  11. Web site: Nominations for July 14, 2021. July 14, 2021 . United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. July 14, 2021.
  12. Web site: August 5, 2021. Results of Executive Business Meeting – August 5, 2021. November 25, 2022.
  13. Web site: PN640 — Sarah A.L. Merriam — The Judiciary . July 7, 2023 . Congress.gov.
  14. Web site: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sarah A.L. Merriam to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Connecticut). October 6, 2021. United States Senate. October 6, 2021.
  15. Web site: On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sarah A.L. Merriam, of Connecticut, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Connecticut). October 6, 2021. United States Senate. October 6, 2021.
  16. October 13, 2021. DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT WELCOMES NEW DISTRICT JUDGE. ctd.uscourts.gov. May 27, 2023.
  17. News: Exclusive: Biden's latest judicial nominees dominated by public defenders. Nate. Raymond. Reuters. April 27, 2022. www.reuters.com. April 27, 2022. April 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220427125205/https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/exclusive-bidens-latest-judicial-nominees-dominated-by-public-defenders-2022-04-27/. live.
  18. Web site: President Biden Names Seventeenth Round of Judicial Nominees. April 27, 2022. The White House. April 27, 2022. April 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220427125445/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/27/president-biden-names-seventeenth-round-of-judicial-nominees/. live.
  19. Nominations Sent to the Senate . May 19, 2022 . The White House . Washington, D.C. .
  20. Web site: Nominations . May 23, 2022 . . Washington, D.C. . May 24, 2022.
  21. Web site: Results of Executive Business Meeting – June 16, 2022. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. June 16, 2022.
  22. Web site: PN2141 — Sarah A. L. Merriam — The Judiciary . July 7, 2023 . Congress.gov.
  23. Web site: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sarah A. L. Merriam to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit). September 14, 2022. United States Senate. September 14, 2022.
  24. Web site: On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sarah A. L. Merriam to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit). September 15, 2022. United States Senate. September 15, 2022.

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