United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
About This Court
Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of two federal judicial districts in the state, covering the southeastern region including Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Berks, Lancaster, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. It sits within the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Philadelphia serves as the principal seat of the court.
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania is one of the busiest federal district courts in the country, handling a substantial volume of civil and criminal matters. The district has historically been a significant forum for complex litigation, including mass torts, class actions, and multidistrict litigation proceedings.
The court operates under the local rules of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is administered through the clerk's office in Philadelphia. Judges of the district also handle cases arising from the federal court's general jurisdiction, including constitutional claims, federal statutory matters, and diversity cases.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Caseload
The Eastern District of Pennsylvania carries one of the higher civil and criminal caseloads among federal district courts nationally, with particular prominence in multidistrict litigation and complex civil matters. Philadelphia's position as a major metropolitan center contributes to a diverse docket spanning white-collar criminal cases, civil rights litigation, and significant commercial disputes.
Bar Admission
Attorneys seeking admission to practice before the Eastern District of Pennsylvania must be admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania or the bar of any United States Court of Appeals or District Court, and must comply with the court's local rules governing bar admission. Applications are submitted to the clerk's office along with the required fee.
Clerk's Office
601 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(267) 299-7000
Active Judges 36
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Bartle | George H.W. Bush | 1991 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Michael Baylson | George W. Bush | 2002 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Wendy Beetlestone | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Anita Brody | George H.W. Bush | 1992 | Columbia Law School |
| Ronald Buckwalter | George H.W. Bush | 1990 | |
| Mary Costello | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law |
| Legrome Davis | George W. Bush | 2002 | Rutgers School of Law -- Camden |
| Paul Diamond | George W. Bush | 2004 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Jan DuBois | Ronald Reagan | 1988 | Yale Law School |
| John Gallagher | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | New York Law School |
| Mitchell Goldberg | George W. Bush | 2008 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Catherine Henry | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | District of Columbia School of Law (now University of the District of Columbia Clarke School of Law) |
| Kelley Hodge | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law (now University of Richmond School of Law) |
| C. Jones | George W. Bush | 2008 | American University, Washington College of Law |
| Mark Kearney | Barack Obama | 2014 | Villanova University School of Law |
| Robert Kelly | Ronald Reagan | 1987 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Chad Kenney | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Joseph Leeson | Barack Obama | 2014 | Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law |
| Karen Marston | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Wake Forest University School of Law |
| Gerald McHugh | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| John Murphy | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | Harvard Law School |
| John Padova | George H.W. Bush | 1992 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Gerald Pappert | Barack Obama | 2014 | Notre Dame Law School |
| Mia Perez | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law |
| Nitza Quiñones Alejandro | Barack Obama | 2013 | University of Puerto Rico School of Law |
| Cynthia Rufe | George W. Bush | 2002 | State University of New York at Buffalo Law School |
| Juan Sánchez | George W. Bush | 2004 | University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) |
| Timothy Savage | George W. Bush | 2002 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Jeffrey Schmehl | Barack Obama | 2013 | University of Toledo College of Law |
| Kai Scott | Joseph R. Biden | 2022 | West Virginia University College of Law |
| Joel Slomsky | George W. Bush | 2008 | New York Law School |
| R[ichard] Surrick | William J. Clinton | 2000 | Dickinson School of Law (now Penn State Dickinson Law) |
| Petrese Tucker | William J. Clinton | 2000 | Temple University School of Law (now James E. Beasley School of Law) |
| Gail Weilheimer | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Hofstra University School of Law |
| Joshua Wolson | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Harvard Law School |
| John Younge | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Howard University School of Law |
Local Rules
51 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.