Mary Kay Costello

Mary Kay Costello
Mary Kay Costello
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; September 19, 2024
Appointed by	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Cynthia M. Rufe
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
	In office; August 2024 – September 19, 2024
Personal details
Born	Mary Kathleen Costello; 1968 (age 55–56); Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	Temple University (BA, JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1986–1994
Rank	Staff sergeant
Awards	See list Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster; Air Force Achievement Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster; Air Force Organizational Excellence Award; Air Force Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Air Force Overseas Ribbon; Air Force Longevity Service Award; NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon; Air Force Training Ribbon; Ralph E. Spraker Esprit de Corps Award;

Mary Kathleen Costello (born 1968)^[1] is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania since September 2024. She previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court from August 2024 to September 2024.

Education

Costello earned a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, from Temple University in 1998 and a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Temple University Beasley School of Law in 2001.^[2]

Career

Military service

Costello joined the U.S. Air Force in 1986. She served for eight years as a cyber-systems operator, receiving an honorable discharge in 1994 as a staff sergeant.^[3]

Law career

From 2001 to 2004, Costello was an associate at Saul Ewing LLP and from 2004 to 2008, she was a litigation associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. From 2008 to 2024, she served as an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,^[2] where she prosecuted cases that include public corruption, fraud, and drug trafficking.^[3] In August 2024, she left the office while her nomination was pending to be sworn in to serve as a magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.^[4]

Federal judicial service

On June 12, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Costello to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. On June 13, 2024, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Costello to the seat vacated by Judge Cynthia M. Rufe, who assumed senior status on December 31, 2021.^[5] On July 10, 2024, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[6] On August 1, 2024, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–7 vote.^[7] On September 17, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 54–42 vote.^[8] Later that day, her nomination was confirmed by a 52–41 vote.^[9]^[4] With her confirmation, Costello is President Biden's 12th LGBT appointed judge.^[10] She received her judicial commission on September 19, 2024.^[11]

References

^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "President Biden Names Fifty-First Round of Judicial Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ ^a ^b Ulrich, Steve (June 12, 2024). "Costello Nominated to U.S. District Court for Eastern PA". www.politicspa.com. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Raymond, Nate. "Biden makes history with 12th Senate-confirmed LGBTQ judge". Reuters. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 13, 2024.
^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. July 9, 2024.
^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – August 1, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Mary Kathleen Costello to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania)". United States Senate. September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Mary Kathleen Costello, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania)". United States Senate. September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
^ "Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Historic Confirmation of Mary Kay Costello" (Press release). September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024. This marks President Biden's twelfth openly LGBTQ+ federal judge, setting a new record for the most LGBTQ+ judges appointed by any president in U.S. history
^ Mary Kay Costello at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links

Mary Kay Costello at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Cynthia M. Rufe	Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania 2024–present	Incumbent

[Questionnaire-1] "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved July 9, 2024.

[WHBio-2] "President Biden Names Fifty-First Round of Judicial Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[auto-3] Ulrich, Steve (June 12, 2024). "Costello Nominated to U.S. District Court for Eastern PA". www.politicspa.com. Retrieved September 17, 2024.

[Reuters-4] Raymond, Nate. "Biden makes history with 12th Senate-confirmed LGBTQ judge". Reuters. Retrieved September 17, 2024.

[5] "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. June 13, 2024.

[6] "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. July 9, 2024.

[7] "Results of Executive Business Meeting – August 1, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved August 1, 2024.

[8] "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Mary Kathleen Costello to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania)". United States Senate. September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.

[9] "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Mary Kathleen Costello, of Pennsylvania, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania)". United States Senate. September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.

[10] "Fetterman, Casey Celebrate Historic Confirmation of Mary Kay Costello" (Press release). September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 18, 2024. This marks President Biden's twelfth openly LGBTQ+ federal judge, setting a new record for the most LGBTQ+ judges appointed by any president in U.S. history

[11] Mary Kay Costello at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

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v t e Active district judges of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Delaware	Connolly Noreika Williams Hall
New Jersey	Bumb Wigenton Cecchi Salas Shipp Arleo Martinotti Neals Quraishi O'Hearn Williams Castner Padin Farbiarz Kirsch Semper Kiel
E. Pennsylvania	Goldberg Diamond Sánchez Quiñones Schmehl McHugh Beetlestone Kearney Pappert Leeson Kenney Wolson Younge Marston Gallagher Perez Hodge Murphy Scott Costello Henry Weilheimer (Designate)
M. Pennsylvania	Brann Conner Wilson Munley Mehalchick Saporito Neary (Designate)
W. Pennsylvania	Hornak Bissoon Baxter Horan Ranjan Stickman Haines Colville Hardy Wiegand
Virgin Islands	Molloy Lewis