Elizabeth Coombe

Northern District of New York
	Second Circuit
Judgeships
	Posts: 5
	Judges: 5
	Vacancies: 0
Judges
	Chief: Brenda K. Sannes
	Active judges: Anthony Brindisi, Elizabeth Coombe, Mae A. D'Agostino, Anne M. Nardacci, Brenda K. Sannes; Senior judges:; David Hurd, Lawrence Kahn, Thomas McAvoy, Frederick Scullin, Glenn Suddaby

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Elizabeth Coombe
	Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
Progress
	Confirmed 86 days after nomination.
	Nominated: September 9, 2024
	ABA Rating: Well qualified
	Questionnaire: Questionnaire
	Hearing: September 25, 2024
	Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: November 21, 2024
	Confirmed: December 4, 2024
	Vote: 52-45

Elizabeth Coombe is a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on September 9, 2024, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 4, 2024, by a vote of 52-45.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] Coombe was one of 235 Article III judges nominated by President Joe Biden (D) and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States District Court for the Northern 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.

Prior to joining the court, Coombe was the First Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.^[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (2024-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On September 9, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Coombe to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.^[4] Coombe received commission on December 9, 2024.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Coombe by a vote of 52-45 on December 4, 2024.^[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Coombe confirmation vote (December 4, 2024)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	47	0	0
Republican	2	45	2
Independent	3	0	1
Total	52^[5]	45	3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Coombe's nomination on September 25, 2024. Coombe was reported to the full Senate on November 21, 2024, after an 11-10 committee vote.^[6] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a committee vote.

Nomination

On August 28, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Coombe to the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. The president officially nominated Coombe on September 9, 2024.

The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Coombe well qualified.^[7] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Coombe was nominated to replace Judge Glenn Suddaby, who assumed senior status on September 1, 2024.^[8]

Biography

Early life and education

Coombe was born in 1967 in Ridgewood, New Jersey. She earned a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College in 1989, and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1992.^[2]

Professional career

2024-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
2003-2024: Assistant U.S. attorney, United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- 2018-2024: First assistant U.S. attorney
- 2014-2018: Criminal chief
- 2012-2014: Deputy criminal chief
- 2011-2012: Team leader and Plattsburgh office supervisor
1998-2003: Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Columbia
1996-1997: Trial attorney, National Courts Section, Commercial Litigation Branch, U.S. Department of Justice
1994-1996: Staff attorney, Enforcement Division, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
1992-1994: Law clerk, Diana Murphy, United States District Court for the District of Minnesota

About the court

The United States District Court for the Northern District of New York is one of 94 United States district courts. The court operates in five locations: Albany, Binghamton, Plattsburgh, Syracuse, and Utica, New York. 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 Counties of the Northern District of New York (click for larger map)

The Northern 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 has five locations in Albany, Binghamton, Plattsburgh, Syracuse, and Utica.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Northern District of New York consists of all the following counties in the northern part of the state of New York.

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.