{ "id": "epzmpjkfwq", "slug": "david-s-leibowitz", "title": "David S. Leibowitz", "updated": "2026-10-25", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "label": "Surnames L to Ma", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma" } ] } ], "excerpt": "David S. Leibowitz, born David Seymour Leibowitz, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2024.", "snippet": "David S. Leibowitz, born David Seymour Leibowitz, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2024.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-l-to-ma", "markdown": "# David S. Leibowitz\n\nDavid Seymour Leibowitz (born 1971) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-southern-district-of-florida) since 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) He was first nominated to the court by President Joseph R. Biden in November 2023 and renominated in January 2024, with confirmation coming the following month.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) Before taking the bench, he worked as a state and federal prosecutor and as general counsel to a Miami-based company.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) |\n| Confirmed | February 27, 2024, by a vote of 64 to 33[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180404) |\n| Born | 1971 in Miami, Florida[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) |\n| Education | B.A., University of Pennsylvania, 1993; Ph.D., London School of Economics and Political Science, 1998; J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 2000[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nLeibowitz was born in 1971 in Miami, Florida.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, a doctorate from the [London School of Economics](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-school-of-economics) and Political Science in 1998, and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) His doctoral dissertation argued for judges to behave \"sincerely\" instead of behaving \"strategically\" to influence the law.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) At Penn Law, he served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Constitutional Law.[4](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/B0350D40-90AE-E077-271A-144043984204/Leibowitz%20SJQ%20Public%20Final_b8303030-c550-43e7-8fc2-e81add8f6d50.pdf)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Leibowitz clerked for Judge Robert G. Flanders, Jr. of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island from 2000 to 2001.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) He then served as an assistant district attorney in [Middlesex County, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/middlesex-county-massachusetts), from 2001 to 2003, working in the Appeals and Training Bureau and then the Special Investigations Unit.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) Among his prosecutions in that period was the appeal in Commonwealth v. Thad T., a Juvenile.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/)\n\nFrom 2003 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2012, Leibowitz was an assistant United States attorney in the Criminal Division of the [United States Attorney](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-attorney)'s Office for the Southern District of New York.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) He served in the General Crimes Unit, the Narcotics Unit, the Violent Crimes Unit, the [Terrorism](https://www.edgepedia.org/terrorism) and National Security Unit, and the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) His cases there included the prosecution of Michael and Eric Nouri, executives at Smart Online Inc., for stock manipulation.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) He also worked on the government's response to James Cromitie's motion to dismiss the indictment based on alleged outrageous government conduct in a terrorism case, which the district court denied.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) In 2012 he received recognition from the [Federal Bureau of Investigation](https://www.edgepedia.org/federal-bureau-of-investigation) for investigations and successful prosecutions stemming from \"Operation Perfect Hedge\".[4](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/B0350D40-90AE-E077-271A-144043984204/Leibowitz%20SJQ%20Public%20Final_b8303030-c550-43e7-8fc2-e81add8f6d50.pdf)\n\nIn 2012, Leibowitz returned to Miami to join Braman Management Association, an umbrella company managing automotive businesses.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) • [3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) He was assistant general counsel from 2012 to 2015, secretary and general counsel from 2015 to 2023, and assistant secretary and assistant general counsel from 2023 to 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) In private practice there, he was part of the legal team defending the company in commercial litigation, including a suit over an unsolicited voicemail left for a plaintiff.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nLeibowitz was first nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on November 6, 2023, but no Senate vote occurred on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) He was renominated on January 8, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) The Senate confirmed him on February 27, 2024, by a vote of 64 to 33.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180404) He received his commission on March 1, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nAs a federal prosecutor, Leibowitz worked on United States v. Nouri, a prosecution of two corporate executives for stock manipulation that was later reviewed by the Second Circuit.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) In United States v. Cromitie, a defendant in a terrorism sting moved to dismiss the indictment based on alleged outrageous government conduct; the district court denied the motion, and the jury later rejected his entrapment defense, while Leibowitz served as government counsel on the matter.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/) He also argued appeals for the government, including United States v. Gonzalez, in which the court of appeals found that a sentencing error warranted resentencing.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: David Seymour Leibowitz](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761521)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, 118th Congress, February 27, 2024](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180404)\n3. [David Leibowitz – Nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, The Vetting Room](https://vettingroom.org/2023/11/27/david-leibowitz/)\n4. [Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire: David S. Leibowitz](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/B0350D40-90AE-E077-271A-144043984204/Leibowitz%20SJQ%20Public%20Final_b8303030-c550-43e7-8fc2-e81add8f6d50.pdf)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames L to Ma*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"David S. Leibowitz\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[David S. Leibowitz](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"David S. Leibowitz\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/david-s-leibowitz. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "David S. Leibowitz, born David Seymour Leibowitz, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2024." }