Second Circuit / Appointed 2022 / Active
Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam
Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Appointed by President Joseph R. Biden in 2022 and confirmed by the Senate 53–44, Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 2000. She previously served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Sources ↓
- Born
- 1971 · age 55
- Appointed by
- Joseph R. Biden, 2022
- Confirmed
- 53–44
- Education
- Georgetown 1993 · Yale Law School 2000
- Succeeded
- Susan Laura Carney
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | District of Connecticut succeeded Janet C. Hall | Biden (D) | 54–46 |
| 2022 | Second Circuit succeeded Susan Laura Carney | Biden (D) | 53–44 |
Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own.
Confirmation vote · District of Connecticut
Nomination Confirmed 54–46 on October 6, 2021 · 117th Congress, Roll Call 409. Each senator links to their judicial-voting record.
Voted to confirm · 54
48 D, 4 R, 2 I
- Tammy Baldwin(D-WI)
- Michael Bennet(D-CO)
- Richard Blumenthal(D-CT)
- Cory Booker(D-NJ)
- Sherrod Brown(D-OH)
- Maria Cantwell(D-WA)
- Ben Cardin(D-MD)
- Thomas Carper(D-DE)
- Bob Casey(D-PA)
- Susan Collins(R-ME)
- Christopher Coons(D-DE)
- Catherine Cortez Masto(D-NV)
- Tammy Duckworth(D-IL)
- Richard Durbin(D-IL)
- Dianne Feinstein(D-CA)
- Kirsten Gillibrand(D-NY)
- Lindsey Graham(R-SC)
- Maggie Hassan(D-NH)
- Martin Heinrich(D-NM)
- John Hickenlooper(D-CO)
- Mazie Hirono(D-HI)
- Timothy Kaine(D-VA)
- Mark Kelly(D-AZ)
- Angus King(I-ME)
- Amy Klobuchar(D-MN)
- Patrick Leahy(D-VT)
- Ben Lujan(D-NM)
- Joseph Manchin(D-WV)
- Edward Markey(D-MA)
- Robert Menendez(D-NJ)
- Jeff Merkley(D-OR)
- Lisa Murkowski(R-AK)
- Christopher Murphy(D-CT)
- Patty Murray(D-WA)
- Jon Ossoff(D-GA)
- Alex Padilla(D-CA)
- Gary Peters(D-MI)
- Jack Reed(D-RI)
- Jacklyn Rosen(D-NV)
- Bernard Sanders(I-VT)
- Brian Schatz(D-HI)
- Charles Schumer(D-NY)
- Jeanne Shaheen(D-NH)
- Kyrsten Sinema(D-AZ)
- Tina Smith(D-MN)
- Debbie Stabenow(D-MI)
- Jon Tester(D-MT)
- Thomas Tillis(R-NC)
- Chris Van Hollen(D-MD)
- Mark Warner(D-VA)
- Raphael Warnock(D-GA)
- Elizabeth Warren(D-MA)
- Sheldon Whitehouse(D-RI)
- Ron Wyden(D-OR)
Voted against · 46
46 R
- John Barrasso(R-WY)
- Marsha Blackburn(R-TN)
- Roy Blunt(R-MO)
- John Boozman(R-AR)
- Mike Braun(R-IN)
- Richard Burr(R-NC)
- Shelley Capito(R-WV)
- Bill Cassidy(R-LA)
- John Cornyn(R-TX)
- Tom Cotton(R-AR)
- Kevin Cramer(R-ND)
- Mike Crapo(R-ID)
- Ted Cruz(R-TX)
- Steve Daines(R-MT)
- Joni Ernst(R-IA)
- Deb Fischer(R-NE)
- Charles Grassley(R-IA)
- Bill Hagerty(R-TN)
- Josh Hawley(R-MO)
- John Hoeven(R-ND)
- Cindy Hyde-Smith(R-MS)
- Jim Inhofe(R-OK)
- Ron Johnson(R-WI)
- John Kennedy(R-LA)
- James Lankford(R-OK)
- Mike Lee(R-UT)
- Cynthia Lummis(R-WY)
- Roger Marshall(R-KS)
- Mitch McConnell(R-KY)
- Jerry Moran(R-KS)
- Rand Paul(R-KY)
- Rob Portman(R-OH)
- James Risch(R-ID)
- Mitt Romney(R-UT)
- Mike Rounds(R-SD)
- Marco Rubio(R-FL)
- Ben Sasse(R-NE)
- Rick Scott(R-FL)
- Tim Scott(R-SC)
- Richard Shelby(R-AL)
- Dan Sullivan(R-AK)
- John Thune(R-SD)
- Patrick Toomey(R-PA)
- Tommy Tuberville(R-AL)
- Roger Wicker(R-MS)
- Todd Young(R-IN)
Confirmation vote · Second Circuit
Nomination Confirmed 53–44 on September 15, 2022 · 117th Congress, Roll Call 337. Each senator links to their judicial-voting record.
Voted to confirm · 53
48 D, 3 R, 2 I
- Tammy Baldwin(D-WI)
- Michael Bennet(D-CO)
- Richard Blumenthal(D-CT)
- Cory Booker(D-NJ)
- Sherrod Brown(D-OH)
- Maria Cantwell(D-WA)
- Ben Cardin(D-MD)
- Thomas Carper(D-DE)
- Bob Casey(D-PA)
- Susan Collins(R-ME)
- Christopher Coons(D-DE)
- Catherine Cortez Masto(D-NV)
- Tammy Duckworth(D-IL)
- Richard Durbin(D-IL)
- Dianne Feinstein(D-CA)
- Kirsten Gillibrand(D-NY)
- Lindsey Graham(R-SC)
- Maggie Hassan(D-NH)
- Martin Heinrich(D-NM)
- John Hickenlooper(D-CO)
- Mazie Hirono(D-HI)
- Timothy Kaine(D-VA)
- Mark Kelly(D-AZ)
- Angus King(I-ME)
- Amy Klobuchar(D-MN)
- Patrick Leahy(D-VT)
- Ben Lujan(D-NM)
- Joseph Manchin(D-WV)
- Edward Markey(D-MA)
- Robert Menendez(D-NJ)
- Jeff Merkley(D-OR)
- Lisa Murkowski(R-AK)
- Christopher Murphy(D-CT)
- Patty Murray(D-WA)
- Jon Ossoff(D-GA)
- Alex Padilla(D-CA)
- Gary Peters(D-MI)
- Jack Reed(D-RI)
- Jacklyn Rosen(D-NV)
- Bernard Sanders(I-VT)
- Brian Schatz(D-HI)
- Charles Schumer(D-NY)
- Jeanne Shaheen(D-NH)
- Kyrsten Sinema(D-AZ)
- Tina Smith(D-MN)
- Debbie Stabenow(D-MI)
- Jon Tester(D-MT)
- Chris Van Hollen(D-MD)
- Mark Warner(D-VA)
- Raphael Warnock(D-GA)
- Elizabeth Warren(D-MA)
- Sheldon Whitehouse(D-RI)
- Ron Wyden(D-OR)
Voted against · 44
44 R
- John Barrasso(R-WY)
- Marsha Blackburn(R-TN)
- Roy Blunt(R-MO)
- John Boozman(R-AR)
- Mike Braun(R-IN)
- Richard Burr(R-NC)
- Shelley Capito(R-WV)
- Bill Cassidy(R-LA)
- John Cornyn(R-TX)
- Tom Cotton(R-AR)
- Mike Crapo(R-ID)
- Steve Daines(R-MT)
- Joni Ernst(R-IA)
- Deb Fischer(R-NE)
- Charles Grassley(R-IA)
- Bill Hagerty(R-TN)
- Josh Hawley(R-MO)
- John Hoeven(R-ND)
- Cindy Hyde-Smith(R-MS)
- Jim Inhofe(R-OK)
- Ron Johnson(R-WI)
- John Kennedy(R-LA)
- James Lankford(R-OK)
- Mike Lee(R-UT)
- Cynthia Lummis(R-WY)
- Roger Marshall(R-KS)
- Mitch McConnell(R-KY)
- Rand Paul(R-KY)
- Rob Portman(R-OH)
- James Risch(R-ID)
- Mitt Romney(R-UT)
- Mike Rounds(R-SD)
- Marco Rubio(R-FL)
- Ben Sasse(R-NE)
- Rick Scott(R-FL)
- Tim Scott(R-SC)
- Richard Shelby(R-AL)
- Dan Sullivan(R-AK)
- John Thune(R-SD)
- Thomas Tillis(R-NC)
- Patrick Toomey(R-PA)
- Tommy Tuberville(R-AL)
- Roger Wicker(R-MS)
- Todd Young(R-IN)
Did not vote · 3
3 R
- Kevin Cramer(R-ND)
- Ted Cruz(R-TX)
- Jerry Moran(R-KS)
Education
| Georgetown University | B.A. | 1993 |
| Yale Law School | J.D. | 2000 |
| Duke University School of Law | LL.M., judicial studies | 2018 |
Questions & answers
- Who appointed Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam?
- President Joseph R. Biden appointed Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2022.
- Was Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
- Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden, a Democrat. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
- What was Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam's confirmation vote?
- The Senate confirmed Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam 53–44 on September 15, 2022.
- Which court is Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam on?
- Sarah Ann Leilani Merriam is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Sources
Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.
- FJC Biographical Directory
- Wikidata
- Portrait: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
- Confirmation roll-call (Senate.gov, 2021)
- Confirmation roll-call (Senate.gov, 2022)
How we source & reconcile data → Data & Sources
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3 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Data as of 2026-08-10. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).