Maryellen Noreika

District of Delaware
	Third Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 4
	Judges: 4
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: Colm Connolly
	Active judges: ; Colm Connolly, Jennifer Hall, Maryellen Noreika, Gregory Williams; Senior judges:; Richard G. Andrews, Joseph Longobardi

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Maryellen Noreika
	Court: United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Progress
	Confirmed 224 days after nomination.
	Nominated: December 20, 2017
	ABA Rating: Substantial Majority Qualified, Minority Well Qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: February 14, 2018
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: March 15, 2018
	Confirmed: August 1, 2018

Maryellen Noreika is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. She was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2017, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 1, 2018, by voice vote. To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.^[1]^[2]

The United States District Court for the District of Delaware 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.

Noreika previously worked as an attorney for the private practice, Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in Wilmington, Delaware.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the District of Delaware

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

Noreika was nominated to the United States District Court for the District of Delaware by President Donald Trump (R) on December 20, 2017. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 1, 2018, by voice vote.^[1]^[2] To read more about the federal nomination process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Noreika on August 1, 2018, by voice vote.^[1]

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Noreika had her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 14, 2018. The committee voted to advance Noreika's nomination to the full Senate on March 15, 2020.^[2]

Nomination

Noreika was nominated to replace Judge Greg Sleet, who assumed senior status on May 1, 2017.

The American Bar Association rated Noreika qualified by a substantial majority and well qualified by a minority for the position.^[3] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Noreika earned her B.S. from Lehigh University in 1988, her M.A. from Columbia University in 1990, and her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993.^[1]^[4]

Professional career

2018-present: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Delaware
1993-2018: Private practice, Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in Wilmington, Delaware^[1]^[4]

Noteworthy cases

Presided over criminal case against Hunter Biden (2023-2024)

In June 2023, Noreika was assigned to preside over a criminal case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden (D), in Wilmington, Delaware.^[5] On June 11, 2024, the jury found Hunter Biden guilty of three felonies related to lying on a firearm application and illegally owning a firearm.^[6]

Hunter Biden was initially charged with two misdemeanor tax offenses and one felony firearm offense.^[7] Noreika rejected a plea deal in the case on July 26, 2023.^[8] The prosecution revised the indictment to focus on three firearms-related counts on September 14, 2023.^[9] On October 3, Biden pleaded not guilty.^[10] The trial began on June 3, 2024.^[11]

Noreika had previously ruled in another case related to Hunter Biden in March 2023, dismissing a defamation lawsuit against Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) filed by the owner of a laptop repair store. Hunter Biden had solicited the services of the store to fix a laptop, the contents of which were later publicly leaked. Noreika allowed the plaintiff's suit against Hunter Biden, CNN, Politico, and the 2020 Biden presidential campaign to proceed.^[12]

About the court

The United States District Court for the District of Delaware is one of 94 United States district courts. The court operates out of Wilmington, Delaware. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in downtown Philadelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.

The District of Delaware has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. This can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. The jurisdiction of the District of Delaware consists of all the counties in the state of Delaware. The court's headquarters are in Wilmington.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

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.