Jay Waldman

Jay Carl Waldman (November 16, 1944 – May 30, 2003) was a U.S. district judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and a former federal judicial nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Early life and education

Born in Pittsburgh, Waldman earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1966 and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969.^[1]

Professional career

Waldman worked as a law clerk for a local judge in Pittsburgh from 1969 until 1970 and was in private practice in Pittsburgh from 1970 until 1971. He then served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh from 1971 until 1975. He moved to Washington, D.C. to become a deputy assistant U.S. attorney general from 1975 until 1977, and worked for the Thornburgh for Governor Commission in 1978. From 1979 until 1981, Waldman was counsel to Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburgh, and from 1981 until 1986, Waldman was general counsel for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. From 1986 until his 1988 appointment to the federal bench, Waldman worked in private practice in Philadelphia.

Federal judicial service

On August 3, 1988, President Ronald Reagan nominated Waldman to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Despite the nomination occurring after the Thurmond Rule, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee nonetheless processed Waldman's nomination, and he was confirmed by the full Senate on October 14, 1988.^[1]

Nomination to the Third Circuit under President George H.W. Bush

On July 26, 1991, President George H.W. Bush nominated Waldman to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.^[2] However, with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee controlled by Democrats, Waldman's nomination languished, and the committee never acted on the nomination before the end of Bush's presidency. President Bill Clinton chose not to renominate Waldman to the Third Circuit.

Nomination to the Third Circuit under President George W. Bush

Just before his death in 2003, Waldman was expected to be renominated to the Third Circuit by President George W. Bush to replace Judge Edward Roy Becker.^[3] Waldman died about a month after being nominated, which was well before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee had even begun to take up the nomination. Bush eventually wound up nominating Franklin Stuart Van Antwerpen to the seat.

Death

Waldman went on an extended medical leave in January 2003 as he battled lung cancer.^[4] Waldman died on May 30, 2003 at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.^[5]

See also

• George H.W. Bush judicial appointment controversies

References

Sources

• Jay Waldman at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.