Michael Liburdi

District of Arizona
	Ninth Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 13
	Judges: 12
	Vacancies: 1
Judges
	Chief: Jennifer Zipps
	Active judges: Susan Brnovich, John Hinderaker, Diane Humetewa, Krissa Lanham, Dominic Lanza, Michael Liburdi, Steven Logan, Rosemary Marquez, Angela Martinez, Scott Rash, John Tuchi, Jennifer Zipps; Senior judges:; Susan Bolton, David Bury, David G. Campbell, Raner Collins, Cindy Jorgenson, Frederick Martone, Stephen McNamee, Douglas Rayes, Roslyn Silver, G. Murray Snow, James A. Soto, James Teilborg, Neil Wake, Frank Zapata

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Michael Liburdi
	Court: United States District Court for the District of Arizona
Progress
	Confirmed 194 days after nomination.
	Nominated: January 17, 2019
	ABA Rating: Unanimously Qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: February 13, 2019
	QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: March 7, 2019
	Confirmed: July 30, 2019
	Vote: 53-37

Michael T. Liburdi is a judge on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. On January 17, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Liburdi to a seat on this court. The U.S. Senate confirmed Liburdi on July 30, 2019, on a vote of 53-37.^[1] He received commission on August 5, 2019.^[2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

The United States District Court for the District of Arizona 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.

Liburdi was a shareholder in the Phoenix, Arizona, office of Greenberg Traurig, L.L.P from 2018 to 2019. He was the chair of the Phoenix Litigation Practice.^[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On January 17, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Liburdi to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. The U.S. Senate confirmed Liburdi on July 30, 2019, on a vote of 53-37.^[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Liburdi on July 30, 2019, on a vote of 53-37.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Liburdi confirmation vote (July 30, 2019)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	2	36	7
Republican	51	0	2
Independent	0	1	1
Total	53	37	10

Change in Senate rules

See also:

Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress

Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

United States federal courts

Liburdi 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.^[4]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.^[5]

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.^[6] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Liburdi's nomination on February 13, 2019.^[1] On March 7, 2019, the committee voted 12-10 to advance Liburdi's nomination to the full Senate.^[7]

Nomination

On January 16, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Liburdi to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.^[8] The U.S. Senate officially received the nomination on January 17. Liburdi was nominated to succeed Judge David G. Campbell, who assumed senior status on July 31, 2018.^[1]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Liburdi qualified for the position.^[9] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Education

Liburdi received his B.S., summa cum laude, from Arizona State University in 1998. He obtained his J.D., magna cum laude, from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2002. Liburdi was Order of the Coif and served as a member of the Arizona State Law Journal.^[8]^[10]

Professional career

2019-present: Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona
2018-2019: Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig L.L.P.
2015-2018: General counsel, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R)
2011-2015: Snell & Wilmer LLP
- 2014: Partner
- 2011-2013: Associate
2008-2011: Associate, Perkins Coie LLP
2008: Litigation staff attorney, Federal Election Commission
2003-2008: Associate, Perkins Coie Brown & Bain P.A.
2002-2003: Law clerk to Vice Chief Justice Ruth McGregor, Arizona Supreme Court^[3]

Awards and associations

Awards

2017: Government lawyer of the year, Arizona Corporate Counsel Awards
2013: President's Award for Convention Seminar, Arizona State Bar Association
2006: Perkins Coie Pro Bono Leadership Award

Associations

Arizona Delegate, Uniform Laws Commission
Commissioner, Arizona Commission on the Arts
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Arizona Commission on Access to Justice
Member, Maricopa County Bar Association
Member, State of Arizona Deferred Compensation Plan Board^[10]^[3]

About the court

The United States District Court for the District of Arizona is one of 94 United States district courts. Cases are heard in Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Yuma, and Prescott. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse. Initial appeals are heard at the Richard Chambers Federal Courthouse in Pasadena, California.

The Counties of Arizona (click for larger map)

The jurisdiction of the District of Arizona consists of all the counties in the state of Arizona.

The District of Arizona has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

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.