Mary Kay Vyskocil
2019 - Present
4
Mary Kay Vyskocil is a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on May 15, 2018, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 91-3.[1][2] She received commission on December 20, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.
Vyskocil was a bankruptcy judge for the United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York from 2016 to 2019. She began her term of service on April 7, 2016, and her term would have expired on April 6, 2030.[4][5]
Judicial nominations and appointments
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (2019-present)
- See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
On May 15, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Vyskocil to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.[1] The United States Senate confirmed the nomination on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 91-3.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Mary Kay Vyskocil |
| Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of New York |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 583 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: May 15, 2018
|
| ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: August 1, 2018
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: September 13, 2018 (first) / June 20, 2019 (second)
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| Confirmed: December 19, 2019
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| Vote: 91-3
|
Confirmation vote
The U.S. Senate confirmed Vyskocil on December 19, 2019, on a vote of 91-3.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.
| Vyskocil confirmation vote (December 19, 2019) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Yea | Nay | No vote | ||||||
 Democratic |
38 | 3 | 4 | ||||||
 Republican |
52 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
 Independent |
1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||
| Total | 91 | 3 | 6 | ||||||
Change in Senate rules
Vyskocil was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.
On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[6]
The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[7]
It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[8] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.
Senate Judiciary Committee hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Vyskocil's nomination on August 1, 2018. Her nomination was reported out of committee on September 13, 2018, by a 21-0 vote.[9][10] The committee voted a second time, 21-1, to advance her nomination to the full Senate on June 20, 2019.[11]
Nomination
On May 15, 2018, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Vyskocil to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.[1] Vyskocil was nominated to succeed Judge Loretta Preska, who assumed senior status on March 1, 2017.[10]
At the sine die adjournment of the 115th Congress on January 3, 2019, the Senate returned Vyskocil's nomination to the president.[10][12]
Trump announced his intent to renominate Vyskocil on April 8, 2019.[13] The second nomination was officially sent to the Senate on May 21, 2019.[14]
The American Bar Association unanimously rated Vyskocil well qualified for the position.[15] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.
United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York (2016-2019)
Vyskocil was a bankruptcy judge for the United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York. She began her term of service on April 7, 2016, and her term would have expired on April 6, 2030.[4] She left office in 2019 to join the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Early life and education
Vyskocil was born in 1958 in New York, New York. She earned her bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from Dominican College of Blauvelt in 1980. She was valedictorian of her class. Vyskocil earned her J.D. in 1983 from St. John's University School of Law.[4][16]
Professional career
- 2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- 2016-2019: Bankruptcy judge, United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York
- 1983-2016: Simpson, Thacher & Barlett LLP
Awards and associations
Awards
- 2017: St. John's University School of Law Sprizzo Award
- 2016: America's Women in Business Law Lifetime Achievement Award, Euromoney
- 2016: Top Women in Law Award, New York Law Journal
- 2015: Sanctuary for Families Above & Beyond Achievement Award for Distinguished Pro Bono Service
- 2014, 2013: Global Insurance and Reinsurance Lawyer of the Year, Legal 500
- 2013: Lawyer of the Year for Insurance Law in the New York City Area, Best Lawyers
- 2013, 2012: America's Women in Business Law Awards, "Best in Insurance and Reinsurance"
- 2013, 2012: Top Ten Women in Litigation in America, Euromoney Benchmark Litigation
- 2012-2015: Top 250 Women in Litigation in America, Euromoney Benchmark Litigation[16]
Associations
All dates were accurate as of 2019.
- 2015-present: American Bankruptcy Institute
- 2015-present: Sanctuary for Families
- 2016-present: Director
- 2015-2016: Lawyers Advisory Council
- 2014-present: Trustee, Historical Society of the New York Courts
- 2011-present: Judges & Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert
- 2011-present: Director
- 2015-present: Vice president
- 2006-present: Federal Bar Council
- 2016-present: President-Elect
- 2014-2016: Vice president
- 2012-2014: Treasurer
- 2010-2012: Vice-chair of the board
- 2007-2009: Secretary
- 2006-2007: Assistant secretary
- 2000-present: American Law Institute
- 1997-present: St. John's University School of Law Alumni Association
- 1990-present: American Bar Association
- 1986-present: City Bar Association[16]
Former associations
- 2015-2016: Member, Inner-City Scholarship Fund, Lawyers' Committee
- 2007-2013: ARIAS-US
- 2012-2013: Chair
- 2011-2012: President
- 2010-2011: President-elect
- 2007-2013: Director
- 1995-2005: The Federalist Society
- 1990-2017: Defense Research Institute[16]
About the court
| Southern District of New York |
|---|
| Second Circuit |
|
| Judgeships |
| Posts: 28 |
| Judges: 27 |
| Vacancies: 1 |
| Judges |
| Chief: Laura Swain |
| Active judges: Ronnie Abrams, Vernon Broderick, Valerie Caproni, Andrew L. Carter Jr., Jessica Clarke, John Peter Cronan, Paul A. Engelmayer, Katherine Failla, Jesse Furman, Margaret Garnett, Philip M. Halpern, Dale Ho, Kenneth Karas, John Koeltl, Lewis Liman, James Paul Oetken, Edgardo Ramos, Jennifer Rearden, Jennifer Rochon, Nelson S. Roman, Lorna Schofield, Cathy Seibel, Arun Subramanian, Laura Swain, Analisa Torres, Mary Kay Vyskocil, Gregory Howard Woods Senior judges: |
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is one of 94 United States district courts. The Southern District is one of the most influential and active federal district courts in the United States, largely because of its jurisdiction over New York's major financial centers. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit based in Lower Manhattan at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse.
The Southern District of New York has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.
The court shares geographic jurisdiction over New York City with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which manages Brooklyn, Queens, and Richmond (Staten Island) counties, along with Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island.
The federal nomination process
Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:
- The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
- The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
- As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
- After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
- If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
- If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
- The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
- If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
- If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.
See also
- United States bankruptcy court, Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Fourteenth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Thirteenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees, and Eighth Wave of United States Marshal Nominees," May 15, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Congress.gov, "PN784 — Mary Kay Vyskocil — The Judiciary," accessed December 19, 2019
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Vyskocil, Mary Kay," accessed December 24, 2019
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 ABL Advisor, "Vyskocil Sworn in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge, Southern District of New York," April 11, 2016
- ↑ U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, "Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil," accessed April 22, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
- ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
- ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," September 13, 2018
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Congress.gov, "PN1967 — Mary Kay Vyskocil — The Judiciary," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting," June 20, 2019
- ↑ Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days. Congressional Research Service, "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure," April 11, 2017
- ↑ White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominations," April 8, 2019
- ↑ White House, "Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate," May 21, 2019
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees: 115th Congress," accessed September 14, 2018
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees: Mary Kay Vyskocil," accessed April 9, 2019
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York 2016-2019 |
Succeeded by David Jones |
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Federal courts:
Second Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of New York, Western District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York
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