Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judges
Philadelphia · 14 active judgeships · Hears appeals from the federal courts in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third 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 Third Circuit, which covers Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and U.S. Virgin Islands. Its decisions bind those courts unless reviewed by the Supreme Court of the United States.
3rd Circuit judges by appointing president
Of 14 active judges: 8 appointed by Republican presidents, 6 by Democratic.
| Judge | Appointed by | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Michael A. Chagares | G.W. Bush | Republican |
| Thomas Michael Hardiman | G.W. Bush | Republican |
| Patty Shwartz | Obama | Democratic |
| Cheryl Ann Krause | Obama | Democratic |
| Luis Felipe Restrepo | Obama | Democratic |
| Stephanos Bibas | Trump | Republican |
| David James Porter | Trump | Republican |
| Paul Brian Matey | Trump | Republican |
| Peter Joseph Phipps | Trump | Republican |
| Arianna Julia Freeman | Biden | Democratic |
| Cindy Kyounga Chung | Biden | Democratic |
| Tamika Renee Montgomery-Reeves | Biden | Democratic |
| Emil Joseph Bove III | Trump | Republican |
| Jennifer Lee Mascott | 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
- Michael A. Chagares
- Thomas M. Hardiman
- Patty Shwartz
- Cheryl A. Krause
- Luis F. Restrepo
- Stephanos Bibas
- David J. Porter
- Paul B. Matey
- Peter J. Phipps
- Arianna J. Freeman
- Cindy K. Chung
- Tamika R. Montgomery-Reeves
- Emil J. Bove III
- Jennifer L. Mascott
Senior judges
Still members of the court: senior judges have stepped back from a full docket but continue to hear cases.
- Robert E. Cowen
- Anthony J. Scirica
- Richard L. Nygaard
- Jane R. Roth
- Theodore A. McKee
- Marjorie O. Rendell
- Thomas L. Ambro
- Julio M. Fuentes
- David B. Smith
- D. M. Fisher
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.
Richard Lowell Nygaard (current) · Thomas Michael Hardiman (current) · Marjorie O. Rendell (current) · Stephanos Bibas (current) · Robert E. Cowen (current) · Julio M. Fuentes (current) · Paul Brian Matey (current) · Emil Joseph Bove III (current) · Jane Richards Roth (current) · Jennifer Lee Mascott (current) · Anthony Joseph Scirica (current) · Luis Felipe Restrepo (current) · Michael A. Chagares (current) · Theodore Alexander McKee (current) · Arianna Julia Freeman (current) · Peter Joseph Phipps (current) · Cheryl Ann Krause (current) · D. Michael Fisher (current) · David James Porter (current) · Thomas L. Ambro (current) · Tamika Renee Montgomery-Reeves (current) · David Brooks Smith (current) · Cindy Kyounga Chung (current) · Patty Shwartz (current) · Albert Branson Maris · Dolores Korman Sloviter · John Biggs Jr. · Joseph Buffington
Former judges
District courts in the Third 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 Third 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.