Who appointed Michael Chertoff?

President George W. Bush appointed Michael Chertoff to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 2003.

Was Michael Chertoff appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

Michael Chertoff was appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was Michael Chertoff's confirmation vote?

The Senate confirmed Michael Chertoff 88–1 on June 9, 2003.

Third Circuit / Appointed 2003 / Served to 2005

Michael Chertoff

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 and confirmed by the Senate 88–1, Michael Chertoff was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1978. Sources ↓

Born: 1953 · age 73
Appointed by: George W. Bush, 2003
Confirmed: 88–1
Education: Harvard College 1975 · Harvard Law School 1978
Succeeded: Morton Ira Greenberg
Succeeded by: Michael A. Chagares

Federal judicial service

Year	Court	Appointed by	Vote
2003	Third Circuit succeeded Morton Ira Greenberg	G.W. Bush (R)	88–1

Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own.

Confirmation vote

Nomination Confirmed 88–1 on June 9, 2003 · 108th Congress, Roll Call 211. Each senator links to their judicial-voting record.

Voted to confirm · 88

41 D, 46 R, 1 I

Voted against · 1

1 D

Hillary Clinton(D-NY)

Did not vote · 11

6 D, 5 R

Education

Harvard College	A.B.	1975
Harvard Law School	J.D.	1978

Before the bench

Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.

Law clerk, Hon. Murray Gurfein, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit	1978-1979
Law clerk, Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States	1979-1980
Private practice, Newark, New Jersey	1980-1983, 1994-2001
Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of New York	1983-1987
First assistant U.S. attorney, District of New Jersey	1987-1990
U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey	1990-1994
Special counsel, U.S. Senate Whitewater Committee	1994-1996
Assistant attorney general, U.S Department of Justice	2001-2003
Secretary of Homeland Security	2005-2009

Questions & answers

Who appointed Michael Chertoff?: President George W. Bush appointed Michael Chertoff to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in 2003.
Was Michael Chertoff appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?: Michael Chertoff was appointed by President George W. Bush, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was Michael Chertoff's confirmation vote?: The Senate confirmed Michael Chertoff 88–1 on June 9, 2003.
Which court was Michael Chertoff on?: Michael Chertoff was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Sources

Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.

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1 year on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).