United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
# United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (in case citations, W.D. Pa.) is a federal trial court that sits in Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It is composed of ten judges as authorized by federal law. Appeals from this court are heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

## History

The United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 courts established by the Judiciary Act of 1789, 1 Stat. 73, on September 24, 1789. It was subdivided on April 20, 1818, by 3 Stat. 462, into the Eastern and Western Districts to be headquartered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively. The court began its first session on December 7, 1818 at the Old County Courthouse in Pittsburgh. Portions of these districts were subsequently subdivided into the Middle District on March 2, 1901, by 31 Stat. 880. At the time of its initial subdivision, presiding judge Richard Peters Jr. was reassigned to only the Eastern District. This made it possible for President James Monroe to appoint Jonathan Hoge Walker as the first judge of the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The Erie courthouse and division was split from Pittsburgh for initial actions in January 1867, with the Johnstown courthouse and division being split from Pittsburgh for initial actions in 1989.

## Current judges

As of October 29, 2021:

| # | 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 |
| 56 | Chief Judge | Mark R. Hornak | Pittsburgh | 1956 | 2011–present | 2018–present | — | Obama |
| 57 | District Judge | Cathy Bissoon | Pittsburgh | 1968 | 2011–present | — | — | Obama |
| 58 | District Judge | Susan Paradise Baxter | Erie | 1956 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 59 | District Judge | Marilyn Horan | Pittsburgh | 1954 | 2018–present | — | — | Trump |
| 61 | District Judge | Nicholas Ranjan | Pittsburgh | 1978 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 62 | District Judge | William S. Stickman IV | Pittsburgh | 1979 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 63 | District Judge | Stephanie L. Haines | Johnstown | 1969 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 64 | District Judge | Robert J. Colville | Pittsburgh | 1965 | 2019–present | — | — | Trump |
| 65 | District Judge | W. Scott Hardy | Pittsburgh | 1971 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
| 66 | District Judge | Christy C. Wiegand | Pittsburgh | 1975 | 2020–present | — | — | Trump |
| 38 | Senior Judge | Alan N. Bloch | Pittsburgh | 1932 | 1979–1997 | — | 1997–present | Carter |
| 45 | Senior Judge | Donetta Ambrose | Pittsburgh | 1945 | 1993–2010 | 2002–2009 | 2010–present | Clinton |
| 49 | Senior Judge | Joy Flowers Conti | Pittsburgh | 1948 | 2002–2018 | 2013–2018 | 2018–present | G.W. Bush |
| 50 | Senior Judge | David S. Cercone | Pittsburgh Erie | 1952 | 2002–2017 | — | 2017–present | G.W. Bush |
| 52 | Senior Judge | Arthur J. Schwab | Pittsburgh | 1946 | 2002–2018 | — | 2018–present | G.W. Bush |
| 53 | Senior Judge | Kim R. Gibson | Johnstown | 1948 | 2003–2016 | — | 2016–present | G.W. Bush |
| 55 | Senior Judge | Nora Barry Fischer | Pittsburgh | 1951 | 2007–2019 | — | 2019–present | G.W. Bush |

## Former judges

| # | Judge | State | Born–died | Active service | Chief Judge | Senior status | Appointed by | Reason for termination |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Jonathan Hoge Walker | PA | 1754–1824 | 1818–1824 | — | — | Monroe | death |
| 2 | William Wilkins | PA | 1779–1865 | 1824–1831 | — | — | Monroe | resignation |
| 3 | Thomas Irwin | PA | 1785–1870 | 1831–1859 | — | — | Jackson | resignation |
| 4 | Wilson McCandless | PA | 1810–1882 | 1859–1876 | — | — | Buchanan | retirement |
| 5 | Winthrop Welles Ketcham | PA | 1820–1879 | 1876–1879 | — | — | Grant | death |
| 6 | Marcus Wilson Acheson | PA | 1828–1906 | 1880–1891 | — | — | Hayes | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 7 | James Hay Reed | PA | 1853–1927 | 1891–1892 | — | — | B. Harrison | resignation |
| 8 | Joseph Buffington | PA | 1855–1947 | 1892–1906 | — | — | B. Harrison | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 9 | Nathaniel Ewing | PA | 1848–1914 | 1906–1908 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | resignation |
| 10 | James Scott Young | PA | 1848–1914 | 1908–1914 | — | — | T. Roosevelt | death |
| 11 | Charles Prentiss Orr | PA | 1858–1922 | 1909–1922 | — | — | Taft | death |
| 12 | W. H. Seward Thomson | PA | 1856–1932 | 1914–1928 | — | 1928–1932 | Wilson | death |
| 13 | Robert Murray Gibson | PA | 1869–1949 | 1922–1949 | 1948–1949 | 1949–1949 | Harding | death |
| 14 | Frederic Palen Schoonmaker | PA | 1870–1945 | 1922–1945 | — | — | Harding | death |
| 15 | Nelson McVicar | PA | 1871–1960 | 1928–1951 | 1949–1951 | 1951–1960 | Coolidge | death |
| 16 | Wallace Samuel Gourley | PA | 1904–1976 | 1945–1969 | 1951–1969 | 1969–1976 | Truman | death |
| 17 | Frederick Voris Follmer | PA | 1885–1971 | 1946–1955 | — | — | Truman | seat abolished |
| 18 | Owen McIntosh Burns | PA | 1892–1952 | 1949–1952 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 19 | Rabe Ferguson Marsh Jr. | PA | 1905–1993 | 1950–1977 | 1969–1975 | 1977–1993 | Truman | death |
| 20 | William Alvah Stewart | PA | 1903–1953 | 1951–1953 | — | — | Truman | death |
| 21 | Joseph Putnam Willson | PA | 1902–1998 | 1953–1968 | — | 1968–1998 | Eisenhower | death |
| 22 | John Lester Miller | PA | 1901–1978 | 1954–1971 | — | 1971–1978 | Eisenhower | death |
| 23 | John Wilson McIlvaine | PA | 1907–1963 | 1955–1963 | — | — | Eisenhower | death |
| 24 | Herbert Peter Sorg | PA | 1911–1979 | 1955–1976 | 1975–1976 | 1976–1979 | Eisenhower | death |
| 25 | Edward Dumbauld | PA | 1905–1997 | 1961–1976 | — | 1976–1997 | Kennedy | death |
| 26 | Louis Rosenberg | PA | 1898–1999 | 1961–1976 | — | 1976–1999 | Kennedy | death |
| 27 | Gerald Joseph Weber | PA | 1914–1989 | 1964–1988 | 1976–1982 | 1988–1989 | L. Johnson | death |
| 28 | Joseph F. Weis Jr. | PA | 1923–2014 | 1970–1973 | — | — | Nixon | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 29 | William W. Knox | PA | 1911–1981 | 1970–1981 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 30 | Hubert Irving Teitelbaum | PA | 1915–1995 | 1970–1985 | 1982–1985 | 1985–1995 | Nixon | death |
| 31 | Barron Patterson McCune | PA | 1915–2008 | 1970–1985 | — | 1985–2008 | Nixon | death |
| 32 | Ralph Francis Scalera | PA | 1930–2011 | 1971–1976 | — | — | Nixon | resignation |
| 33 | Daniel John Snyder Jr. | PA | 1916–1980 | 1973–1980 | — | — | Nixon | death |
| 34 | Maurice Blanchard Cohill Jr. | PA | 1929–2022 | 1976–1994 | 1985–1992 | 1994–2022 | Ford | death |
| 35 | Paul Allen Simmons | PA | 1921–2014 | 1978–1990 | — | 1990–2014 | Carter | death |
| 36 | Gustave Diamond | PA | 1928–2021 | 1978–1994 | 1992–1994 | 1994–2021 | Carter | death |
| 37 | Donald Emil Ziegler | PA | 1936–2019 | 1978–2001 | 1994–2001 | 2001–2003 | Carter | retirement |
| 39 | Carol Los Mansmann | PA | 1942–2002 | 1982–1985 | — | — | Reagan | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 40 | Glenn Everell Mencer | PA | 1925–2007 | 1982–1994 | — | 1994–2007 | Reagan | death |
| 41 | William Lloyd Standish | PA | 1930–2015 | 1987–2002 | — | 2002–2015 | Reagan | death |
| 42 | D. Brooks Smith | PA | 1951–present | 1988–2002 | 2001–2002 | — | Reagan | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 43 | Donald J. Lee | PA | 1927–2011 | 1990–2000 | — | 2000–2011 | G.H.W. Bush | death |
| 44 | Timothy K. Lewis | PA | 1954–present | 1991–1992 | — | — | G.H.W. Bush | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 46 | Gary L. Lancaster | PA | 1949–2013 | 1993–2013 | 2009–2013 | — | Clinton | death |
| 47 | Robert J. Cindrich | PA | 1943–present | 1994–2004 | — | — | Clinton | resignation |
| 48 | Sean J. McLaughlin | PA | 1955–present | 1994–2013 | 2013 | — | Clinton | resignation |
| 51 | Terrence F. McVerry | PA | 1943–2021 | 2002–2013 | — | 2013–2021 | G.W. Bush | death |
| 54 | Thomas Hardiman | PA | 1965–present | 2003–2007 | — | — | G.W. Bush | elevation to 3d Cir. |
| 60 | Peter J. Phipps | PA | 1973–present | 2018–2019 | — | — | Trump | elevation to 3d Cir. |

* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 7, 1831, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 21, 1832, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 3, 1906, confirmed by the Senate on December 11, 1906, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1928, confirmed by the Senate on December 17, 1928, and received commission the same day.
* ↑ Jointly appointed to the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania
* ↑ 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 15, 1962, confirmed by the Senate on July 10, 1962, and received commission on July 12, 1962.

## Chief judges

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 established on April 20, 1818 by 3 Stat. 462 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Walker | 1818–1824 |
| Wilkins | 1824–1831 |
| Irwin | 1832–1859 |
| McCandless | 1859–1876 |
| Ketcham | 1876–1879 |
| Acheson | 1880–1891 |
| Reed, Sr. | 1891–1892 |
| Buffington | 1892–1906 |
| Ewing | 1906–1908 |
| Young | 1908–1914 |
| Thomson | 1914–1928 |
| McVicar | 1928–1951 |
| Stewart | 1951–1953 |
| Miller | 1954–1971 |
| Scalera | 1971–1976 |
| Simmons | 1978–1990 |
| Lewis | 1991–1992 |
| Lancaster | 1993–2013 |
| Horan | 2018–present |

Seat 2 :

| Seat established on February 26, 1909 by 35 Stat. 656 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Orr | 1909–1922 |
| R. Gibson | 1922–1949 |
| Marsh Jr. | 1950–1977 |
| Ziegler | 1978–2001 |
| McVerry | 2002–2013 |
| Phipps | 2018–2019 |
| Wiegand | 2020–present |

Seat 3 :

| Seat established on September 14, 1922 by 42 Stat. 837 (temporary) ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Seat made permanent on August 19, 1935 by 49 Stat. 659 ||||
| Schoonmaker | 1922–1945 |
| Gourley | 1945–1969 |
| Teitelbaum | 1970–1985 |
| Lee | 1990–2000 |
| Cercone | 2002–2017 |
| Haines | 2019–present |

Seat 4 :

| Seat established on July 24, 1946 by 60 Stat. 654 (temporary, concurrent with Middle and Eastern Districts) ||
| - | - |
| Seat made permanent on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 ||
| Follmer | 1946–1955 |
| Seat statutorily assigned solely to the Middle District on June 1, 1955 ||

Seat 5 :

| Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 (temporary) ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Seat made permanent on August 29, 1950 by 64 Stat. 562 ||||
| Burns | 1950–1952 |
| Willson | 1953–1968 |
| Weis Jr. | 1970–1973 |
| Snyder Jr. | 1973–1980 |
| Mencer | 1982–1994 |
| McLaughlin | 1994–2013 |
| Baxter | 2018–present |

Seat 6 :

| Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| McIlvaine | 1955–1963 |
| Weber | 1964–1988 |
| Ambrose | 1993–2010 |
| Hornak | 2011–present |

Seat 7 :

| Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 (temporary) ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Seat made permanent on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| Sorg | 1955–1976 |
| Bloch | 1979–1997 |
| Conti | 2002–2018 |
| Stickman IV | 2019–present |

Seat 8 :

| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Dumbauld | 1961–1976 |
| Diamond | 1978–1994 |
| Cindrich | 1994–2004 |
| Fischer | 2007–2019 |
| Hardy | 2020–present |

Seat 9 :

| Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Rosenberg | 1962–1976 |
| Cohill Jr. | 1976–1994 |
| Schwab | 2002–2018 |
| Colville | 2019–present |

Seat 10 :

| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| Knox | 1970–1981 |
| Mansmann | 1982–1985 |
| Smith | 1988–2002 |
| K. Gibson | 2003–2016 |
| Ranjan | 2019–present |

Seat 11 :

| Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 ||||
| - | - | - | - |
| McCune | 1970–1985 |
| Standish IV | 1987–2002 |
| Hardiman | 2003–2007 |
| Bissoon | 2011–present |

## United States attorneys

Former United States attorneys for the district have included:

* James Hamilton March 11, 1801
* Andrew Stewart April 20, 1818
* Alexander Brackenridge March 3, 1821
* George W. Buchanan October 22, 1830
* Benjamin Patton Jr. October 22, 1832
* John P. Anderson June 12, 1839
* Cornelius Darragh March 25, 1841
* William O'Hara Robinson March 29, 1844
* John L. Dawson July 22, 1845
* J. Bowman Sweitzer August 27, 1850
* Charles Shaler April 19, 1853
* Richard Biddle Roberts April 21, 1857
* Robert B. Carnahan April 12, 1861
* Henry B. Swope January 24, 1870
* David Reed March 24, 1874
* Henry H. McCormick June 29, 1876
* William A. Stone July 6, 1880
* George A. Allen December 4, 1886
* Walter Lyon June 21, 1889
* Stephen C. McCandless April 26, 1893
* Harry Alvan Hall June 8, 1893
* B. Heiner September 14, 1897
* James S. Young February 10, 1902
* John W. Dunkle March 17, 1905
* John H. Jordan April 15, 1909
* Edwin Lowry Humes September 10, 1913
* R. Lindsay Crawford September 2, 1918
* Edwin Lowry Humes August 20, 1919
* Robert J. Dodds June 1, 1920
* D. J. Driscoll August 19, 1920
* Walter Lyon March 11, 1921
* John D. Meyer July 18, 1925
* Louis Edward Graham October 31, 1929
* Horatio S. Dumbauld August 17, 1933
* Charles F. Uhl May 12, 1941
* Owen McIntosh Burns May 16, 1947
* Edward C. Boyle November 3, 1949
* John W. McIlvaine July 16, 1953
* D. Malcolm Anderson Jr. August 19, 1955
* Hubert I. Teitelbaum March 17, 1958
* Joseph S. Ammerman June 5, 1961
* Gustave Diamond February 2, 1963
* Richard L. Thornburgh June 4, 1969
* Blair A. Griffith July 7, 1975
* Robert J. Cindrich September 29, 1978
* J. Alan Johnson July 31, 1981
* Charles D. Sheehy January 15, 1989
* Thomas W. Corbett November 30, 1989
* Frederick W. Thieman August 16, 1993
* Linda L. Kelly August 1, 1997
* Harry Litman October 22, 1998
* Linda L. Kelly April 28, 2001
* Mary Beth Buchanan – September 18, 2001
* Robert S. Cessar – November 17, 2009
* David J. Hickton – August 12, 2010
* Soo C. Song (acting) – November 29, 2016
* Scott Brady – December 22, 2017
* Cindy Chung – November 2021
* Tony Rivetti (acting) February 17, 2023
