Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judges
New York City · 13 active judgeships · Hears appeals from the federal courts in Connecticut, New York and Vermont.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is one of the thirteen U.S. courts of appeals, the intermediate appellate tier of the federal judiciary. It hears appeals from the federal district courts within the Second Circuit, which covers Connecticut, New York and Vermont. Its decisions bind those courts unless reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States.
2nd Circuit judges by appointing president
Of 13 active judges: 6 appointed by Republican presidents, 7 by Democratic.
| Judge | Appointed by | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Raymond Joseph Lohier Jr. | Obama | Democratic |
| Richard Joseph Sullivan | Trump | Republican |
| Joseph Frank Bianco | Trump | Republican |
| Steven James Menashi | Trump | Republican |
| William Joseph Nardini | Trump | Republican |
| Michael Hun Park | Trump | Republican |
| Eunice Cheryl Lee | Biden | Democratic |
| Myrna Pérez | Biden | Democratic |
| Beth Robinson | Biden | Democratic |
| Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam | Biden | Democratic |
| Alison Julie Nathan | Biden | Democratic |
| Maria Araujo Kahn | Biden | Democratic |
| Matthew Alexander Schwartz | Trump | Republican |
Party letters here are the appointing president’s, never a judge’s own: D Democratic, R Republican, N pre-modern-party era (Federalist, Whig, and other early parties); “–” means no recorded party. Counts cover the court’s entire history.
Judges in active service
- Raymond J. Lohier Jr.
- Richard J. Sullivan
- Joseph F. Bianco
- Steven J. Menashi
- William J. Nardini
- Michael H. Park
- Eunice C. Lee
- Myrna Pérez
- Beth Robinson
- Sarah A. L. Merriam
- Alison J. Nathan
- Maria A. Kahn
- Matthew A. Schwartz
Senior judges
Still members of the court: senior judges have stepped back from a full docket but continue to hear cases.
- Amalya L. Kearse
- Jon O. Newman
- John M. Walker Jr.
- Dennis G. Jacobs
- Pierre N. Leval
- José A. Cabranes
- Guido Calabresi
- Robert D. Sack
- Barrington D. Parker Jr.
- Reena Raggi
- Richard C. Wesley
- Debra A. Livingston
- Gerard E. Lynch
- Denny Chin
- Susan L. Carney
Seats over time
Each band is one judgeship, from the court’s founding to today. A segment’s width is the holder’s tenure; its color is the appointing president’s party. Gaps are vacancies.
Alison Julie Nathan (current) · José Alberto Cabranes (current) · Maria Araujo Kahn (current) · Guido Calabresi (current) · William Joseph Nardini (current) · Barrington Daniels Parker Jr. (current) · Susan Laura Carney (current) · Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam (current) · Beth Robinson (current) · Pierre Nelson Leval (current) · Richard C. Wesley (current) · Richard Joseph Sullivan (current) · John Mercer Walker Jr. (current) · Debra Ann Livingston (current) · Gerard E. Lynch (current) · Michael Hun Park (current) · Dennis G. Jacobs (current) · Steven James Menashi (current) · Amalya Lyle Kearse (current) · Reena Raggi (current) · Joseph Frank Bianco (current) · Jon Ormond Newman (current) · Eunice Cheryl Lee (current) · Robert David Sack (current) · Denny Chin (current) · Myrna Pérez (current) · Raymond Joseph Lohier Jr. (current) · Thomas Walter Swan · Wilfred Feinberg
Former judges
District courts in the Second Circuit
The federal trial courts whose appeals this circuit reviews.
Historical district courts
Earlier districts in this circuit’s territory that no longer operate: reorganized or split into today’s districts. Kept for the judges who served on them.
Practicing before this court
The rules that govern a case here (the Second Circuit’s local rules, standing orders, and each judge’s own procedures) live on the court’s official site. Direct links:
Links to the court’s own site, verified 2026-07-05. Rules change. Confirm against the court’s current posting before filing.
How a judge gets here. Each judge is nominated by a president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, then holds a numbered seat, for life, until they take senior status, or until they leave the bench. Open any judge to see who appointed them, how the Senate voted, and whom they succeeded, a chain that runs back to 1891. Read more on how federal judges are appointed.
Source: FJC Biographical Directory. Data as of 2026-08-10 (FJC). Verify against the primary source before relying.