Colm Connolly

Colm F. Connolly
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Assumed office
August 3, 2018
Appointed by Donald Trump
Preceded by Sue Lewis Robinson
United States Attorney for the District of Delaware
In office
September 2001 – January 20, 2009
President George W. Bush
Preceded by Carl Schnee
Succeeded by Charles M. Oberly III
Personal details
Born Colm Felix Connolly
(1964-10-18) October 18, 1964
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Political party Republican
Education University of Notre Dame (BA)
London School of Economics (MSc)
Duke University School of Law (JD)

Colm Felix Connolly (born October 18, 1964)[1] is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. He was formerly a United States Attorney for the District of Delaware.

Biography and career

Colm Connolly was born on October 18, 1964, in Wilmington, Delaware. He earned his Bachelor of Arts with honors from the University of Notre Dame, his Master of Science from the London School of Economics, and his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the Duke University School of Law.[2]

After graduating from law school, Connolly clerked for Judge Walter K. Stapleton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and then spent seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Delaware. In that capacity he became known for his prosecution of Thomas Capano for capital murder. Connolly would later be portrayed by Steven Eckholdt and make a cameo appearance in the made-for-television movie based on the murder, And Never Let Her Go (2001), directed by Peter Levin. Connolly then worked at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell for two years before becoming the United States Attorney for the District of Delaware in 2001 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. In 2009, Connolly left the United States Department of Justice to become a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where he worked until becoming a judge.[2]

Federal judicial service

Failed district court nomination under George W. Bush

Connolly has previously been nominated for a seat on the District Court. On February 26, 2008, Connolly was nominated by George W. Bush for the United States District Court for the District of Delaware seat vacated by Kent A. Jordan in 2006. Although Connolly received a unanimous well-qualified rating from the American Bar Association, the Senate Judiciary Committee did not afford him a hearing and therefore his nomination to the federal bench expired at the conclusion of the Senate's term in 2008. Nominees need both U.S. Senators to sign off on their nominations. Only Senator Tom Carper did; Senator Joe Biden did not.[3]

Connolly was succeeded by Charles M. Oberly III, with David C. Weiss serving as acting United States Attorney in the interim.

Renomination to district court under Trump

On December 20, 2017, his renomination was announced and sent to the Senate.[2] He has been nominated to the seat vacated by Sue Lewis Robinson, who took senior status on February 3, 2017.[4] On February 14, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5] On March 15, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 20–1 vote.[6] On August 1, 2018, his nomination was confirmed by voice vote.[7] He received his judicial commission on August 3, 2018.

References

  1. ↑ MyLife.com profile
  2. 1 2 3 " President Donald J. Trump Announces Ninth Wave of Judicial Nominees and Tenth Wave of United States Attorney Nominees " White House, December 20, 2017 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ↑ Bush nominates Connolly for U.S. District Court seat
  4. ↑ "Eight Nominations Sent to the Senate Today" White House, December 20, 2017
  5. ↑ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for February 14, 2018
  6. ↑ Results of Executive Business Meeting – March 15, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. ↑ "PN1331 — Colm F. Connolly — The Judiciary". United States Senate. December 20, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
Legal offices
Preceded by
Carl Schnee		 United States Attorney for the District of Delaware
2001–2009		 Succeeded by
Charles M. Oberly III
Preceded by
Sue Lewis Robinson		 Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware
2018–present		 Incumbent
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