The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (in case citations, E.D.N.Y.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island (including the portion in New York City) and Staten Island. The court's territorial jurisdiction includes the Counties of Kings (Brooklyn), Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), Nassau, and Suffolk as well as, concurrently with the Southern District of New York, the waters of New York and Bronx counties (including New York Harbor and the East River). Courthouses are located in Brooklyn and Central Islip.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York is Richard Donoghue since January 5, 2018.
Appeals from the Eastern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
Courthouses
New York's Southern District Court Celebrates its 225th Anniversary - Judges and court staff in Manhattan gathered to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Southern District of New York. The district is commonly referred to as the "Mother Court" because it was...
The main courthouse is at 225 Cadman Plaza East in the civic center of Brooklyn. The 15-story building was designed by Cesar Pelli. The courthouse was designed in 1995 but did not open until 2006 following redesign requirements in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11 attacks. It replaced the six story Emanuel Celler Federal Building (built in 1962 and located next door and connected via glass atrium). In 2008 it was renamed for Theodore Roosevelt. The building was originally to be renamed in honor of former New York Governor Hugh Carey but politicians backed off because Carey was alive at the time. The associated prison is the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn.
The Divisional office is in the Alfonse M. D'Amato United States Courthouse in Central Islip, New York. The courthouse designed by Richard Meier opened in 2000 and is the largest building on Long Island. The 12-story building has 870,000 square feet (81,000Â m2), 23 courtrooms and 24 judges' chambers. It is the third largest federal courthouse in the United States (after the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse and Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse).
Judges
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York has 15 authorized judgeships, filled by judges appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Fourteen judges who have taken senior status are eligible to continue hearing cases. On April 3, 2016, Judge Dora Irizarry became Chief Judge of the Court. Judge Jack B. Weinstein, widely regarded as among the most respected and influential Judges in America, is currently a Senior Judge in this district. Unlike many other judges at Judge Weinstein's level of seniority, he continues to maintain a full docket of cases, including many of the biggest corporate cases considered anywhere in the country.
Vacancies and pending nominations
Former judges
Chief judges
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless circuit judges are also on the panel. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge. A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
See also
- Courts of New York
- List of United States federal courthouses in New York
Notes
External links
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York Official Website
- United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Official Website
