Records & Rankings

District courts with the most Democratic-appointed judges

Which federal district court has the most Democratic-appointed judges?

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has more Democratic-appointed judges in active service than any other federal district court: 20 of 25.

U.S. district courts ranked by how many judges in active service were appointed by a Democratic president. The letter is the appointing president’s party, never the judge’s own, and senior judges are excluded because they no longer carry a full docket.

#NameDetailD-appointed
1U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York25 in active service · 5 R / 20 D20
2U.S. District Court for the Central District of California28 in active service · 9 R / 19 D19
3U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois23 in active service · 8 R / 15 D15
4U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California14 in active service · 0 R / 14 D14
5U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey17 in active service · 2 R / 14 D14
6U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania22 in active service · 8 R / 14 D14
7U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan15 in active service · 3 R / 12 D12
8U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts11 in active service · 0 R / 11 D11
9U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia15 in active service · 4 R / 11 D11
10U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York15 in active service · 4 R / 11 D11
11U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California12 in active service · 3 R / 9 D9
12U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida19 in active service · 10 R / 9 D9
13U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland10 in active service · 1 R / 8 D8
14U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona13 in active service · 5 R / 8 D8
15U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas17 in active service · 9 R / 8 D8
16U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada7 in active service · 0 R / 7 D7
17U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington7 in active service · 0 R / 7 D7
18U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California6 in active service · 0 R / 6 D6
19U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut7 in active service · 1 R / 6 D6
20U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia10 in active service · 4 R / 6 D6
21U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia10 in active service · 4 R / 6 D6
22U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York5 in active service · 0 R / 5 D5
23U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico6 in active service · 1 R / 5 D5
24U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon6 in active service · 1 R / 5 D5
25U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania6 in active service · 1 R / 5 D5

Questions

Which federal district court has the most Democratic-appointed judges?
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has more Democratic-appointed judges in active service than any other federal district court: 20 of 25.
What are the top five?
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (20), U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (19), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (15), U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (14) and U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (14).
How is this list ranked?
U.S. district courts ranked by how many judges in active service were appointed by a Democratic president. The letter is the appointing president’s party, never the judge’s own, and senior judges are excluded because they no longer carry a full docket.

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Computed from the FJC Biographical Directory. Data last verified 2026-09-21. Verify against the primary source before relying.