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 "excerpt": "Jeffrey T. Kuntz, born 1981, is a United States district judge for the Southern District of Florida since 2026, after a decade on Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal.",
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 "markdown": "# Jeffrey T. Kuntz\n\nJeffrey Thomas Kuntz (born 1981) 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 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> He was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, receiving his commission in August 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> Before joining the federal bench, he served for a decade on the Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, including a term as that court's chief judge.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | July 15, 2026 (Senate voted 51 to 46)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190856)</sup> |\n| Born | 1981, Winter Park, Florida<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., Boston College, 2003; J.D., Suffolk University Law School, 2006<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nKuntz was born in 1981 in [Winter Park, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/winter-park-florida).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> He earned a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from [Boston College](https://www.edgepedia.org/boston-college) in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 2006.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nKuntz began his career in private practice in [Fort Lauderdale, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/fort-lauderdale-florida), where he worked from 2006 to 2016.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> In 2016 he was appointed a judge of the Florida District Court of Appeal, Fourth District, where he served until 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> He served as the court's chief judge from 2025 to 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Kuntz to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 14, 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup> According to Bloomberg Law, Trump had earlier considered Kuntz for a different opening on the Miami-based court that went to Ed Artau, and Trump announced in April 2026 that he would tap Kuntz for a second opening on the court.<sup>[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/second-judge-who-ruled-for-trump-in-same-case-heads-to-us-bench)</sup> The Senate confirmed Kuntz on July 15, 2026, by a vote of 51 to 46.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190856)</sup> Bloomberg Law reported that the vote was along party lines in the Republican-controlled Senate.<sup>[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/second-judge-who-ruled-for-trump-in-same-case-heads-to-us-bench)</sup> Kuntz received his commission on August 10, 2026.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\n**Trump v. Pulitzer Prize Board (2025).** While serving as chief judge of Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal, Kuntz ruled in favor of Trump on a personal jurisdiction question in the defamation case against the Pulitzer Prize Board in February 2025.<sup>[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/second-judge-who-ruled-for-trump-in-same-case-heads-to-us-bench)</sup> Bloomberg Law described Kuntz as the second state court judge who ruled in favor of Trump in the same case to be confirmed to a federal judgeship, noting that Ed Artau, who concurred in the ruling, had earlier been appointed to the same district court.<sup>[3](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/second-judge-who-ruled-for-trump-in-same-case-heads-to-us-bench)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Jeffrey Thomas Kuntz](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13762144)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, July 15, 2026](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1190856)\n3. [Second Judge Who Ruled for Trump in Same Case Heads to US Bench](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/second-judge-who-ruled-for-trump-in-same-case-heads-to-us-bench)\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 I to K*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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",
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