# United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of the State of New York. Two of these are in New York City: New York (Manhattan) and Bronx; six are in the Hudson Valley: Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).
Because it covers Manhattan, the Southern District of New York has long been one of the most active and influential federal trial courts in the United States. It often has jurisdiction over America's largest financial institutions and prosecution of white-collar crime and other federal crimes. Because of its age, being the oldest federal court in the history of the United States, great influence, described as "the preeminent trial court in the nation", and its strong independence, it is colloquially called the "Mother Court", or the "Sovereign District of New York."
The district itself has had several prominent judges on its bench, including Learned Hand, Michael Mukasey, and Sonia Sotomayor, and many of the U.S. attorneys for the district have been prominent American legal and political figures, such as Elihu Root, Henry L. Stimson, Robert Morgenthau, Rudy Giuliani, James Comey, Michael J. Garcia, and Preet Bharara.

## Jurisdiction

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York encompasses the counties of New York, Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan and draws jurors from those counties. The Court also shares concurrent jurisdiction over the waters of the counties of Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, and Suffolk with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The Court hears cases in Manhattan, White Plains, and Poughkeepsie, New York.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the Court. As of February 13, 2025, the United States Attorney is Matthew Podolsky.
The court sits in the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse and Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse, both in Manhattan, and in the Charles L. Brieant Jr. Federal Building and Courthouse in White Plains.

## History

The United States District Court for the District of New York was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. It first sat at the old Merchants Exchange on Broad Street in November 1789, the first federal court to do so. The Act of April 9, 1814, 3 Stat. 120, divided the District of New York into Northern and Southern Districts.
The subdivision of the district was reportedly instigated by Matthias B. Tallmadge, out of antipathy for fellow district judge William P. Van Ness. These Districts were later further subdivided with the creation of the Eastern District on February 25, 1865 by 13 Stat. 438, and the Western District on May 12, 1900, by 31 Stat. 175. Public Law 95-408 (enacted October 2, 1978) transferred Columbia, Greene, and Ulster counties from the Southern to the Northern district.
For the first hundred years of its existence, the case load of the district was dominated first by admiralty cases, and then by a mix of admiralty and bankruptcy cases. The primary responsibility for hearing bankruptcy cases has since been transferred to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, with the District Court only reviewing cases already decided by a bankruptcy judge.
Since its creation, the Southern District of New York has had over 150 judges, more than any other District. Twenty-one judges from the Southern District of New York have been elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit—Samuel Blatchford, Charles Merrill Hough, Learned Hand, Julius Marshuetz Mayer, Augustus Noble Hand, Martin Thomas Manton, Robert P. Patterson, Harold Medina, Irving Kaufman, Wilfred Feinberg, Walter R. Mansfield, Murray Gurfein, Lawrence W. Pierce, Pierre N. Leval, John M. Walker Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, Denny Chin, Barrington Daniels Parker Jr., Gerard E. Lynch, Richard J. Sullivan, and Alison Nathan. Blatchford and Sotomayor, after being elevated from the Southern District of New York to serve as Circuit Judges for the Second Circuit, were later elevated to the Supreme Court of the United States. The longest serving judge, David Norton Edelstein, served as an active judge for 43 years to the day, and in senior status for an additional six years.
Judges of the court have gone on to other high governmental positions. Robert P. Patterson served as Under Secretary of War under President Franklin Roosevelt and was Secretary of War under President Harry S. Truman. Louis Freeh served as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation from September 1993 to June 2001. Michael Mukasey served as the 81st United States Attorney General under President George W. Bush.

## Notable cases

* The injury and loss of life claims from the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, the 1915 torpedo attack on the Lusitania and the 1904 fire aboard the General Slocum were heard in the S.D.N.Y.
* The 1951 espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and the 1949 perjury trial of Alger Hiss were heard in the S.D.N.Y.
* Judge John M. Woolsey of the S.D.N.Y. rejected government efforts to censor on obscenity grounds the distribution of James Joyce's Ulysses in 1933.
* Judge Murray Gurfein of the Court rejected government efforts to enjoin The New York Times from publishing the Pentagon Papers in 1971.
* Defamation suits were heard in the S.D.N.Y. against CBS and Time magazine by General William Westmoreland and Israeli General Ariel Sharon.
* Two former Attorneys General of the United States were indicted and tried in the S.D.N.Y. for crimes while in office – Harry Daugherty of the Teapot Dome era and John Mitchell of the Watergate era. Juries were unable to reach verdicts in the two trials against Daugherty in 1926; John Mitchell was acquitted in 1974.
* Financial frauds have been prosecuted in the S.D.N.Y., among them the cases against Bernard Madoff, Ivan Boesky, Michael Milken, and Sam Bankman-Fried.
* The 1990 trial of Imelda Marcos, who was the former First Lady of the Philippines, and who was indicted on charges of fraud, racketeering, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice.
* Bombings: the trials of those accused of the 1998 United States embassy bombings in East Africa; those alleged to have been responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Omar Abdel Rahman (known in the press as "The Blind Sheikh"); and those who conspired to carry out the Bojinka plot occurred in the District. More recently, the prosecution arising out of the 2010 Times Square car bombing attempt were each heard in the S.D.N.Y.
* Bridgeman v. Corel (1999) established that exact reproductions of public domain paintings were not subject to copyright protection.
* Viacom Inc. v. YouTube Inc., a $1 billion lawsuit against Google and YouTube in 2012 on the grounds of alleged copyright infringement. The DMCA safe harbor law became the main argument in the case.
* Prosecution of Abduwali Muse, the so-called "Somali Pirate", was heard in the Court in 2010.
* The criminal cases against Bess Myerson, Leona Helmsley and Martha Stewart were heard in the S.D.N.Y. as well.
* The Deflategate controversy concerning the National Football League's Tom Brady was heard in the S.D.N.Y. in 2015.
* In 2017, Hosseinzadeh v. Klein, concerning the practice of fair use in online video content, was heard in the S.D.N.Y.
* On December 12, 2018, Judge William H. Pauley III sentenced Michael Cohen – who had served as personal legal counsel to U.S. president Donald Trump for more than a decade – to "three years in prison and millions in forfeitures, restitution and fines", after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and committing perjury while under oath before Congress.
* Patrick Ho, former Hong Kong Secretary for Home Affairs, bribery And money laundering offenses to Sam Kutesa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Uganda and Idriss Déby, former Chad President on behalf of CEFC China Energy.
* In 2020, for the Ben Feibleman v. Columbia University case, a settlement was reached and a student's diploma restored.
* In July 2022, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jennifer Shah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the S.D.N.Y. In January 2023, Shah was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison.
* Criminal cases against rapper and record producer Sean Combs, and Ghislaine Maxwell, a sex trafficker and confidant of Jeffrey Epstein.
* The E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump trial, presided over by Senior Judge Lewis Kaplan, was held in April and May of 2023 in which the jury reached a unanimous decision, after deliberating for less than three hours, that Donald J. Trump was liable for sexual abuse via forcible digital penetration and defamation. Carroll was awarded a total of $5 million in damages.

## Current judges

As of January 7, 2025:
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Term of service | Term of service | Term of service | Appointed by |
| # | Title | Judge | Duty station | Born | Active | Chief | Senior | Appointed by |
| 125 | Chief Judge | Laura Taylor Swain | Manhattan | 1958 | 2000–present | 2021–present | — | Clinton |
| 110 | District Judge | John G. Koeltl | Manhattan | 1945 | 1994–present | — | — | Clinton |
| 129 | District Judge | Kenneth M. Karas | White Plains | 1964 | 2004–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
| 132 | District Judge | Cathy Seibel | White Plains | 1960 | 2008–present | — | — | G.W. Bush |
| 135 | District Judge | J. Paul Oetken | Manhattan | 1965 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
| 136 | District Judge | Paul A. Engelmayer | Manhattan | 1961 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
| 139 | District Judge | Edgardo Ramos | Manhattan | 1960 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
| 140 | District Judge | Andrew L. Carter Jr. | Manhattan | 1969 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
| 141 | District Judge | Jesse M. Furman | Manhattan | 1972 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
| 142 | District Judge | Ronnie Abrams | Manhattan | 1968 | 2012–present | — | — | Obama |
| 144 | District Judge | Katherine Polk Failla | Manhattan | 1969 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
| 145 | District Judge | Analisa Torres | Manhattan | 1959 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
| 146 | District Judge | Nelson S. Román | White Plains | 1960 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
| 147 | District Judge | Vernon S. Broderick | Manhattan | 1963 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
| 148 | District Judge | Gregory H. Woods | Manhattan | 1969 | 2013–present | — | — | Obama |
| 150 | District Judge | Mary Kay Vyskocil | Manhattan | 1958 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 151 | District Judge | Lewis J. Liman | Manhattan | 1960 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 152 | District Judge | Philip M. Halpern | White Plains | 1956 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
| 153 | District Judge | John P. Cronan | Manhattan | 1976 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
| 154 | District Judge | Jennifer L. Rochon | Manhattan | 1970 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 155 | District Judge | Jennifer H. Rearden | Manhattan | 1970 | 2022–present | — | — | Biden |
| 156 | District Judge | Arun Subramanian | Manhattan | 1979 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 157 | District Judge | Jessica G. L. Clarke | Manhattan | 1983 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 158 | District Judge | Dale Ho | Manhattan | 1977 | 2023–present | — | — | Biden |
| 159 | District Judge | Margaret Garnett | Manhattan | 1971 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 160 | District Judge | Jeannette Vargas | Manhattan | 1973 | 2024–present | — | — | Biden |
| 161 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 162 | District Judge | vacant | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 79 | Senior Judge | Charles S. Haight Jr. | New Haven, CT | 1930 | 1976–1995 | — | 1995–present | Ford |
| 91 | Senior Judge | Louis L. Stanton | Manhattan | 1927 | 1985–1996 | — | 1996–present | Reagan |
| 97 | Senior Judge | Kimba Wood | Manhattan | 1944 | 1988–2009 | 2006–2009 | 2009–present | Reagan |
| 102 | Senior Judge | Loretta Preska | Manhattan | 1949 | 1992–2017 | 2009–2016 | 2017–present | G.H.W. Bush |
| 108 | Senior Judge | Denise Cote | Manhattan | 1946 | 1994–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
| 109 | Senior Judge | Lewis A. Kaplan | Manhattan | 1944 | 1994–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
| 113 | Senior Judge | Sidney H. Stein | Manhattan | 1945 | 1995–2010 | — | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 115 | Senior Judge | Jed S. Rakoff | Manhattan | 1943 | 1996–2010 | — | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 117 | Senior Judge | Richard M. Berman | Manhattan | 1943 | 1998–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
| 118 | Senior Judge | Alvin Hellerstein | Manhattan | 1933 | 1998–2011 | — | 2011–present | Clinton |
| 119 | Senior Judge | Colleen McMahon | Manhattan | 1951 | 1998–2021 | 2016–2021 | 2021–present | Clinton |
| 121 | Senior Judge | Naomi Reice Buchwald | Manhattan | 1944 | 1999–2012 | — | 2012–present | Clinton |
| 122 | Senior Judge | Victor Marrero | Manhattan | 1941 | 1999–2010 | — | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 123 | Senior Judge | George B. Daniels | Manhattan | 1953 | 2000–2021 | — | 2021–present | Clinton |
| 126 | Senior Judge | P. Kevin Castel | Manhattan | 1950 | 2003–2017 | — | 2017–present | G.W. Bush |
| 130 | Senior Judge | Paul A. Crotty | Manhattan | 1941 | 2005–2015 | — | 2015–present | G.W. Bush |
| 133 | Senior Judge | Paul G. Gardephe | Manhattan | 1957 | 2008–2023 | — | 2023–present | G.W. Bush |
| 134 | Senior Judge | Vincent L. Briccetti | White Plains | 1954 | 2011–2023 | — | 2023–present | Obama |
| 143 | Senior Judge | Lorna G. Schofield | Manhattan | 1956 | 2012–2025 | — | 2025–present | Obama |
| 149 | Senior Judge | Valerie E. Caproni | Manhattan | 1955 | 2013–2025 | — | 2025–present | Obama |
* ↑ Judge Haight has sat with the District of Connecticut since taking senior status.

## Vacancies and pending nominations

| Seat | Prior judge's duty station | Seat last held by | Vacancy reason | Date of vacancy | Nominee | Date of nomination |
| 27 | Manhattan | Lorna G. Schofield | Senior status | January 1, 2025 | — | — |
| 10 | Manhattan | Valerie E. Caproni | Senior status | January 7, 2025 | — | — |

## Former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| 1 | William P. Van Ness | NY | 1778–1826 | 1814–1826 | — | — | Madison/Operation of law | death |
| 2 | Samuel Rossiter Betts | NY | 1786–1868 | 1826–1867 | — | — | J.Q. Adams | resignation |
| 3 | Samuel Blatchford | NY | 1820–1893 | 1867–1878 | — | — | A. Johnson | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 4 | William Gardner Choate | NY | 1830–1920 | 1878–1881 | — | — | Hayes | resignation |
| 5 | Addison Brown | NY | 1830–1913 | 1881–1901 | — | — | Garfield | retirement |
| 6 | George Bethune Adams | NY | 1845–1911 | 1901–1911 | — | — | McKinley | death |
| 7 | George Chandler Holt | NY | 1843–1931 | 1903–1914 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | retirement |
| 8 | Charles Merrill Hough | NY | 1858–1927 | 1906–1916 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 9 | Learned Hand | NY | 1872–1961 | 1909–1924 | — | — | Taft | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 10 | Julius Marshuetz Mayer | NY | 1865–1925 | 1912–1921 | — | — | Taft | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 11 | Augustus Noble Hand | NY | 1869–1954 | 1914–1927 | — | — | Wilson | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 12 | Martin Thomas Manton | NY | 1880–1946 | 1916–1918 | — | — | Wilson | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 13 | John C. Knox | NY | 1881–1966 | 1918–1955 | 1948–1955 | 1955–1966 | Wilson | death |
| 14 | Henry W. Goddard | NY | 1876–1955 | 1923–1954 | — | 1954–1955 | Harding | death |
| 15 | Francis A. Winslow | NY | 1866–1932 | 1923–1929 | — | — | Harding | resignation |
| 16 | William Bondy | NY | 1870–1964 | 1923–1956 | 1955–1956 | 1956–1964 | Harding | death |
| 17 | Thomas D. Thacher | NY | 1881–1950 | 1925–1930 | — | — | Coolidge | resignation |
| 18 | Frank Joseph Coleman | NY | 1886–1934 | 1927–1934 | — | — | Coolidge | death |
| 19 | John M. Woolsey | NY | 1877–1945 | 1929–1943 | — | 1943–1945 | Hoover | death |
| 20 | Francis Gordon Caffey | NY | 1868–1951 | 1929–1947 | — | 1947–1951 | Hoover | death |
| 21 | Alfred Conkling Coxe Jr. | NY | 1880–1957 | 1929–1951 | — | 1951–1957 | Hoover | death |
| 22 | Robert P. Patterson | NY | 1891–1952 | 1930–1939 | — | — | Hoover | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 23 | George Murray Hulbert | NY | 1881–1950 | 1934–1950 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 24 | Vincent L. Leibell | NY | 1883–1968 | 1936–1954 | — | 1954–1968 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 25 | John William Clancy | NY | 1888–1969 | 1936–1959 | 1956–1959 | 1959–1969 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 26 | Samuel Mandelbaum | NY | 1884–1946 | 1936–1946 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 27 | Edward Augustus Conger | NY | 1882–1963 | 1938–1954 | — | 1954–1963 | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 28 | John Bright | NY | 1884–1948 | 1941–1948 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | death |
| 29 | Simon H. Rifkind | NY | 1901–1995 | 1941–1950 | — | — | F. Roosevelt | resignation |
| 30 | Harold Medina | NY | 1888–1990 | 1947–1951 | — | — | Truman | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 31 | Sylvester J. Ryan | NY | 1896–1981 | 1947–1973 | 1959–1966 | 1973–1981 | Truman | death |
| 32 | Samuel H. Kaufman | NY | 1893–1960 | 1948–1955 | — | 1955–1960 | Truman | death |
| 33 | Irving Kaufman | NY | 1910–1992 | 1949–1961 | — | — | Truman | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 34 | John F. X. McGohey | NY | 1894–1972 | 1949–1970 | — | 1970–1972 | Truman | death |
| 35 | Gregory Francis Noonan | NY | 1906–1964 | 1949–1964 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 36 | Sidney Sugarman | NY | 1904–1974 | 1949–1971 | 1966–1971 | 1971–1974 | Truman | death |
| 37 | Edward Weinfeld | NY | 1901–1988 | 1950–1988 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 38 | Thomas Francis Murphy | NY | 1905–1995 | 1951–1970 | — | 1970–1995 | Truman | death |
| 39 | Edward Jordan Dimock | NY | 1890–1986 | 1951–1961 | — | 1961–1986 | Truman | death |
| 40 | David Norton Edelstein | NY | 1910–2000 | 1951–1994 | 1971–1980 | 1994–2000 | Truman | death |
| 41 | Archie Owen Dawson | NY | 1898–1964 | 1954–1964 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
| 42 | Lawrence Walsh | NY | 1912–2014 | 1954–1957 | — | — | Eisenhower | resignation |
| 43 | Alexander Bicks | NY | 1901–1963 | 1954–1963 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
| 44 | Edmund Louis Palmieri | NY | 1907–1989 | 1954–1972 | — | 1972–1989 | Eisenhower | death |
| 45 | William Bernard Herlands | NY | 1905–1969 | 1955–1969 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
| 46 | John M. Cashin | NY | 1892–1970 | 1955–1965 | — | 1965–1970 | Eisenhower | death |
| 47 | Richard Harrington Levet | NY | 1894–1980 | 1956–1966 | — | 1966–1976 | Eisenhower | retirement |
| 48 | Frederick van Pelt Bryan | NY | 1904–1978 | 1956–1972 | — | 1972–1978 | Eisenhower | death |
| 49 | Lloyd Francis MacMahon | NY | 1912–1989 | 1959–1982 | 1980–1982 | 1982–1989 | Eisenhower | death |
| 50 | Charles Miller Metzner | NY | 1912–2009 | 1959–1977 | — | 1977–2009 | Eisenhower | death |
| 51 | Thomas Francis Croake | NY | 1902–1978 | 1961–1972 | — | 1972–1978 | Kennedy | death |
| 52 | Dudley Baldwin Bonsal | NY | 1906–1995 | 1961–1976 | — | 1976–1995 | Kennedy | death |
| 53 | Irving Ben Cooper | NY | 1902–1996 | 1961–1972 | — | 1972–1996 | Kennedy | death |
| 54 | Wilfred Feinberg | NY | 1920–2014 | 1961–1966 | — | — | Kennedy | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 55 | Harold R. Tyler Jr. | NY | 1922–2005 | 1962–1975 | — | — | Kennedy | resignation |
| 56 | Edward Cochrane McLean | NY | 1903–1972 | 1962–1972 | — | — | Kennedy | death |
| 57 | Inzer Bass Wyatt | NY | 1907–1990 | 1962–1977 | — | 1977–1990 | Kennedy | death |
| 58 | John Matthew Cannella | NY | 1908–1996 | 1963–1977 | — | 1977–1996 | Kennedy | death |
| 59 | Charles Henry Tenney | NY | 1911–1994 | 1963–1979 | — | 1979–1994 | L. Johnson | death |
| 60 | Marvin E. Frankel | NY | 1920–2002 | 1965–1978 | — | — | L. Johnson | resignation |
| 61 | Walter R. Mansfield | NY | 1911–1987 | 1966–1971 | — | — | L. Johnson | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 62 | Constance Baker Motley | NY | 1921–2005 | 1966–1986 | 1982–1986 | 1986–2005 | L. Johnson | death |
| 63 | Milton Pollack | NY | 1906–2004 | 1967–1983 | — | 1983–2004 | L. Johnson | death |
| 64 | Morris E. Lasker | NY | 1917–2009 | 1968–1983 | — | 1983–2009 | L. Johnson | death |
| 65 | Murray Gurfein | NY | 1907–1979 | 1971–1974 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 66 | Lawrence W. Pierce | NY | 1924–2020 | 1971–1981 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 67 | Charles L. Brieant | NY | 1923–2008 | 1971–2007 | 1986–1993 | 2007–2008 | Nixon | death |
| 68 | Arnold Bauman | NY | 1914–1989 | 1971–1974 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
| 69 | Lee Parsons Gagliardi | NY | 1918–1998 | 1971–1985 | — | 1985–1998 | Nixon | death |
| 70 | Thomas P. Griesa | NY | 1930–2017 | 1972–2000 | 1993–2000 | 2000–2017 | Nixon | death |
| 71 | Whitman Knapp | NY | 1909–2004 | 1972–1987 | — | 1987–2004 | Nixon | death |
| 72 | Charles E. Stewart Jr. | NY | 1916–1994 | 1972–1985 | — | 1985–1994 | Nixon | death |
| 73 | Robert L. Carter | NY | 1917–2012 | 1972–1986 | — | 1986–2012 | Nixon | death |
| 74 | Kevin Duffy | NY | 1933–2020 | 1972–1998 | — | 1998–2016 | Nixon | retirement |
| 75 | Robert Joseph Ward | NY | 1926–2003 | 1972–1991 | — | 1991–2003 | Nixon | death |
| 76 | William C. Conner | NY | 1920–2009 | 1973–1987 | — | 1987–2009 | Nixon | death |
| 77 | Richard Owen | NY | 1922–2015 | 1973–1989 | — | 1989–2015 | Nixon | death |
| 78 | Henry Frederick Werker | NY | 1920–1984 | 1974–1984 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 80 | Gerard Louis Goettel | NY | 1928–2011 | 1976–1993 | — | 1993–2011 | Ford | death |
| 81 | Vincent Lyons Broderick | NY | 1920–1995 | 1976–1988 | — | 1988–1995 | Ford | death |
| 82 | Pierre N. Leval | NY | 1936–present | 1977–1993 | — | — | Carter | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 83 | Robert W. Sweet | NY | 1922–2019 | 1978–1991 | — | 1991–2019 | Carter | death |
| 84 | Leonard B. Sand | NY | 1928–2016 | 1978–1993 | — | 1993–2016 | Carter | death |
| 85 | Mary Johnson Lowe | NY | 1924–1999 | 1978–1991 | — | 1991–1999 | Carter | death |
| 86 | Abraham David Sofaer | NY | 1938–present | 1979–1985 | — | — | Carter | resignation |
| 87 | John E. Sprizzo | NY | 1934–2008 | 1981–2000 | — | 2000–2008 | Reagan | death |
| 88 | Shirley Wohl Kram | NY | 1922–2009 | 1983–1993 | — | 1993–2009 | Reagan | death |
| 89 | John F. Keenan | NY | 1929–2024 | 1983–1996 | — | 1996–2024 | Reagan | death |
| 90 | Peter K. Leisure | NY | 1929–2013 | 1984–1997 | — | 1997–2013 | Reagan | death |
| 92 | John M. Walker Jr. | NY | 1940–present | 1985–1989 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 93 | Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum | NY | 1929–2016 | 1986–1998 | — | 1998–2016 | Reagan | death |
| 94 | Richard J. Daronco | NY | 1931–1988 | 1987–1988 | — | — | Reagan | death |
| 95 | Michael Mukasey | NY | 1941–present | 1987–2006 | 2000–2006 | 2006 | Reagan | retirement |
| 96 | Kenneth Conboy | NY | 1938–present | 1987–1993 | — | — | Reagan | resignation |
| 98 | Robert P. Patterson Jr. | NY | 1923–2015 | 1988–1998 | — | 1998–2015 | Reagan | death |
| 99 | John S. Martin Jr. | NY | 1935–present | 1990–2003 | — | 2003 | G.H.W. Bush | retirement |
| 100 | Lawrence M. McKenna | NY | 1933–2023 | 1990–2002 | — | 2002–2023 | G.H.W. Bush | death |
| 101 | Louis Freeh | NY | 1950–present | 1991–1993 | — | — | G.H.W. Bush | resignation |
| 103 | Sonia Sotomayor | NY | 1954–present | 1992–1998 | — | — | G.H.W. Bush | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 104 | Allen G. Schwartz | NY | 1934–2003 | 1993–2003 | — | — | Clinton | death |
| 105 | Deborah Batts | NY | 1947–2020 | 1994–2012 | — | 2012–2020 | Clinton | death |
| 106 | Harold Baer Jr. | NY | 1933–2014 | 1994–2004 | — | 2004–2014 | Clinton | death |
| 107 | Denny Chin | NY | 1954–present | 1994–2010 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 111 | Barrington D. Parker Jr. | NY | 1944–present | 1994–2001 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 112 | Shira Scheindlin | NY | 1946–present | 1994–2011 | — | 2011–2016 | Clinton | retirement |
| 114 | Barbara S. Jones | NY | 1947–present | 1995–2012 | — | 2012–2013 | Clinton | retirement |
| 116 | Richard C. Casey | NY | 1933–2007 | 1997–2007 | — | — | Clinton | death |
| 120 | William H. Pauley III | NY | 1952–2021 | 1998–2018 | — | 2018–2021 | Clinton | death |
| 124 | Gerard E. Lynch | NY | 1951–present | 2000–2009 | — | — | Clinton | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 127 | Richard J. Holwell | NY | 1946–present | 2003–2012 | — | — | G.W. Bush | resignation |
| 128 | Stephen C. Robinson | NY | 1957–present | 2003–2010 | — | — | G.W. Bush | resignation |
| 131 | Richard J. Sullivan | NY | 1964–present | 2007–2018 | — | — | G.W. Bush | elevation to 2d Cir. |
| 137 | Katherine B. Forrest | NY | 1964–present | 2011–2018 | — | — | Obama | resignation |
| 138 | Alison Nathan | NY | 1972–present | 2011–2022 | — | — | Obama | elevation to 2d Cir. |
* ↑ Initially appointed to the District of New York, reassigned by operation of law to the Southern District of New York on April 9, 1814.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on July 13, 1867, confirmed by the United States Senate on July 16, 1867, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on October 12, 1881, confirmed by the Senate on October 14, 1881, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 5, 1901, confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1901, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1927, confirmed by the Senate on December 19, 1927, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 24, 1947, confirmed by the Senate on December 18, 1947, and received commission on December 20, 1947.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 13, 1949, confirmed by the Senate on January 31, 1949, and received commission on February 2, 1949.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on April 4, 1950, and received commission on April 7, 1950.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on March 8, 1950, and received commission on March 9, 1950.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on April 25, 1950, and received commission on April 26, 1950.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 5, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on April 28, 1950, and received commission on May 1, 1950.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 30, 1952, confirmed by the Senate on April 7, 1952, and received commission on April 8, 1952.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 12, 1956, confirmed by the Senate on June 26, 1956, and received commission on June 27, 1956.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 12, 1956, confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 1956, and received commission on March 2, 1956.
* 1 2 Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on March 16, 1962, and received commission on March 17, 1962.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on September 20, 1962, and received commission on September 28, 1962.
* ↑ Judge Tenney was nominated by President Kennedy but was appointed to the Court by (i.e., received his commission from) President Johnson.

## Chief judges

Chief Judge :
| Knox | 1948–1955 |
| Bondy | 1955–1956 |
| Clancy | 1956–1959 |
| Ryan | 1959–1966 |
| Sugarman | 1966–1971 |
| Edelstein | 1971–1980 |
| MacMahon | 1980–1982 |
| Motley | 1982–1986 |
| Brieant | 1986–1993 |
| Griesa | 1993–2000 |
| Mukasey | 2000–2006 |
| Wood | 2006–2009 |
| Preska | 2009–2016 |
| McMahon | 2016–2021 |
| Swain | 2021–present |
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

## Succession of seats

Seat 1 :
| Seat reassigned from the District of New York on April 9, 1814 ||||
| Van Ness | 1814–1826 |
| Betts | 1826–1867 |
| Blatchford | 1867–1878 |
| Choate | 1878–1881 |
| Brown | 1881–1901 |
| Adams | 1901–1911 |
| Mayer | 1912–1921 |
| Bondy | 1923–1956 |
| Bryan | 1956–1972 |
| Ward | 1972–1991 |
| Preska | 1992–2017 |
| Vyskocil | 2019–present |
Seat 2 :
| Seat established on February 9, 1903 by 32 Stat. 805 ||||
| Holt | 1903–1914 |
| A. Hand | 1914–1927 |
| Coleman | 1927–1934 |
| Hulbert | 1934–1950 |
| Dimock | 1951–1961 |
| McLean | 1962–1972 |
| Owen | 1973–1989 |
| Batts | 1994–2012 |
| Broderick | 2013–present |
Seat 3 :
| Seat established on May 26, 1906 by 34 Stat. 202 ||||
| Hough | 1906–1916 |
| Manton | 1916–1918 |
| Knox | 1918–1955 |
| Levet | 1956–1966 |
| Lasker | 1968–1983 |
| Walker, Jr. | 1985–1989 |
| Sotomayor | 1992–1998 |
| Marrero | 1999–2010 |
| A. Carter, Jr. | 2011–present |
Seat 4 :
| Seat established on March 2, 1909 by 35 Stat. 685 ||||
| L. Hand | 1909–1924 |
| Thacher | 1925–1930 |
| R. Patterson, Sr. | 1930–1939 |
| Rifkind | 1941–1950 |
| Weinfeld | 1950–1988 |
| Martin, Jr. | 1990–2003 |
| Robinson | 2003–2010 |
| Ramos | 2011–present |
Seat 5 :
| Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) ||||
| Seat made permanent on August 19, 1935 by 49 Stat. 659 ||||
| Goddard | 1923–1954 |
| Dawson | 1954–1964 |
| Motley | 1966–1986 |
| Wood | 1988–2009 |
| Briccetti | 2011–2023 |
| Garnett | 2024–present |
Seat 6 :
| Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) ||||
| Winslow | 1923–1929 |
| Seat made permanent on August 19, 1935 by 49 Stat. 659 ||||
| Leibell | 1936–1954 |
| Bicks | 1954–1963 |
| Tenney | 1963–1979 |
| Sprizzo | 1981–2000 |
| Lynch | 2000–2009 |
| Engelmayer | 2011–present |
Seat 7 :
| Seat established on February 26, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1317 ||
| Woolsey | 1929–1943 |
| Seat abolished on December 31, 1943 (temporary judgeship expired) ||
Seat 8 :
| Seat established on February 26, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1317 ||||
| Caffey | 1929–1947 |
| Ryan | 1947–1973 |
| Werker | 1974–1984 |
| Stanton | 1985–1996 |
| Hellerstein | 1998–2011 |
| Furman | 2012–present |
Seat 9 :
| Seat established on February 26, 1929 by 45 Stat. 1317 ||||
| Coxe, Jr. | 1929–1951 |
| Edelstein | 1952–1994 |
| Rakoff | 1996–2010 |
| Forrest | 2011–2018 |
| Ho | 2023–present |
Seat 10 :
| Seat established on June 15, 1936 by 49 Stat. 1491 ||||
| Clancy | 1936–1959 |
| Metzner | 1959–1977 |
| Sand | 1978–1993 |
| Parker Jr. | 1994–2001 |
| Holwell | 2003–2012 |
| Caproni | 2013–2025 |
| vacant | 2025–present |
Seat 11 :
| Seat established on June 15, 1936 by 49 Stat. 1491 ||||
| Mandelbaum | 1936–1946 |
| Medina | 1947–1951 |
| Murphy | 1951–1970 |
| Gurfein | 1971–1974 |
| Haight, Jr. | 1976–1995 |
| Casey | 1997–2007 |
| Seibel | 2008–present |
Seat 12 :
| Seat established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 585 (temporary) ||||
| Seat made permanent on June 8, 1940 by 54 Stat. 253 ||||
| Conger | 1938–1954 |
| Herlands | 1955–1969 |
| Pierce | 1971–1981 |
| Kram | 1983–1993 |
| Koeltl | 1994–present |
Seat 13 :
| Seat established on March 24, 1940 by 54 Stat. 219 (temporary) ||||
| Seat became permanent upon the abolition of Seat 7 on December 31, 1943 ||||
| Bright | 1941–1948 |
| S. Kaufman | 1948–1955 |
| Cashin | 1955–1965 |
| Mansfield | 1966–1971 |
| Knapp | 1972–1987 |
| R. Patterson, Jr. | 1988–1998 |
| Daniels | 2000–2021 |
| Rochon | 2022–present |
Seat 14 :
| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 ||||
| I. Kaufman | 1949–1961 |
| Cannella | 1963–1977 |
| Lowe | 1978–1991 |
| Cote | 1994–2011 |
| Failla | 2013–present |
Seat 15 :
| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 ||||
| McGohey | 1950–1970 |
| Brieant, Jr. | 1971–2007 |
| Gardephe | 2008–2023 |
| Vargas | 2024–present |
Seat 16 :
| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 ||||
| Noonan | 1950–1964 |
| Frankel | 1965–1978 |
| Sofaer | 1979–1985 |
| Mukasey | 1987–2006 |
| Sullivan | 2007–2018 |
| Rearden | 2022–present |
Seat 17 :
| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 ||||
| Sugarman | 1950–1971 |
| Stewart, Jr. | 1972–1985 |
| Cedarbaum | 1986–1998 |
| Buchwald | 1999–2012 |
| Torres | 2013–present |
Seat 18 :
| Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 ||||
| Walsh | 1954–1957 |
| MacMahon | 1959–1982 |
| Keenan | 1983–1996 |
| McMahon | 1998–2021 |
| Clarke | 2023–present |
Seat 19 :
| Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 ||||
| Palmieri | 1954–1972 |
| Conner | 1973–1987 |
| McKenna | 1990–2002 |
| Castel | 2003–2017 |
| Halpern | 2020–present |
Seat 20 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Croake | 1961–1972 |
| R. Carter | 1972–1986 |
| Conboy | 1987–1993 |
| Jones | 1995–2013 |
| Woods III | 2013–present |
Seat 21 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Bonsal | 1962–1976 |
| Leval | 1977–1993 |
| Stein | 1995–2010 |
| Nathan | 2011–2022 |
| Subramanian | 2023–present |
Seat 22 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Cooper | 1962–1972 |
| Duffy | 1972–1998 |
| Berman | 1998–2011 |
| Román | 2013–present |
Seat 23 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Feinberg | 1961–1966 |
| Pollack | 1967–1983 |
| Leisure | 1984–1997 |
| Pauley III | 1998–2018 |
| Cronan | 2020–present |
Seat 24 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Tyler, Jr. | 1962–1975 |
| Broderick | 1976–1988 |
| Schwartz | 1993–2003 |
| Karas | 2004–present |
Seat 25 :
| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Wyatt | 1962–1977 |
| Sweet | 1978–1991 |
| Baer, Jr. | 1994–2004 |
| Crotty | 2005–2015 |
| Liman | 2019–present |
Seat 26 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| Bauman | 1971–1974 |
| Goettel | 1976–1993 |
| Kaplan | 1994–2011 |
| Abrams | 2012–present |
Seat 27 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| Gagliardi | 1971–1985 |
| Daronco | 1987–1988 |
| Freeh | 1991–1993 |
| Scheindlin | 1994–2011 |
| Schofield | 2012–2025 |
| vacant | 2025–present |
Seat 28 :
| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| Griesa | 1972–2000 |
| Swain | 2000–present |
Seat 29 :
| Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 ||||
| Chin | 1994–2010 |
| Oetken | 2011–present |