{ "id": "ep9g4bw4zx", "slug": "joel-h-slomsky", "title": "Joel H. Slomsky", "updated": "2026-10-15", "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-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "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-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Joel H. Slomsky is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2008.", "snippet": "Joel H. Slomsky is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2008.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# Joel H. Slomsky\n\nJoel Harvey Slomsky (born 1946) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-eastern-district-of-pennsylvania) since 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) He was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2008 and served as a full judge until assuming senior status on October 9, 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n| Confirmed | September 26, 2008, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n| Senior status | October 9, 2018[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n| Born | 1946, Brooklyn, New York[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n| Education | B.A., Brooklyn College, City University of New York, 1967; J.D., New York Law School, 1970[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSlomsky was born in 1946 in Brooklyn, New York.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) He received a B.A. from [Brooklyn College](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-college) of the [City University of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/city-university-of-new-york) in 1967 and a J.D. from New York Law School in 1970.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter graduating from law school, Slomsky began his legal career as a special attorney with the [United States Department of Justice](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-department-of-justice), working as part of the Philadelphia Strike Force within the Criminal Division from 1971 to 1973.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) • [2](https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/judge-joel-h-slomsky/) He then spent more than three decades in private practice in Pennsylvania, from 1973 to 2008, primarily as a criminal defense attorney representing clients in state and federal court before the grand jury, at trial, and on appeal.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) • [2](https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/judge-joel-h-slomsky/) During his practice career, he was a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and while an editor for *The Philadelphia Lawyer* he authored articles on money laundering, financial reporting crimes, and federal sentencing guidelines.[2](https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/judge-joel-h-slomsky/)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Slomsky on July 24, 2008, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated by James T. Giles.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) • [3](https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/distinguished_judges/14/) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on September 26, 2008, and he received his commission on October 6, 2008.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806) He assumed senior status on October 9, 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn a case arising from a February 2011 trial that Slomsky presided over, a jury returned a $6.5 million verdict against four staffers of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's regional office in Wilkes-Barre, who had been sued by MFS Inc. of Bethlehem over alleged retaliation after the company contacted a state legislator about a violation notice. Slomsky vacated the verdict, writing that it would be \"unjust\" to hold the DEP staffers individually liable \"for lawfully performing their statutory and regulatory duties.\" In April 2012, a three-judge panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his decision.[4](https://www.citizensvoice.com/2012/04/30/ruling-allows-dep-to-do-its-job/)\n\nIn February 2025, Slomsky dismissed a $150 million federal lawsuit against New Hanover Township concerning the New Hanover Town Center development, a 208-acre project calling for 756 new housing units and a supermarket. The township described the decision as fully rejecting the plaintiffs' claims and reaffirming that the township's actions were lawful and in compliance with municipal and constitutional standards.[5](https://www.pottsmerc.com/2025/02/07/judge-dismisses-150-million-federal-lawsuit-against-new-hanover/)\n\nAmong his published opinions, his most cited in one dataset of the court's opinions was *Martin v. Ford Motor Co.*.[6](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/joel-slomsky)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Federal Judicial Center Biographical Directory: Joel Harvey Slomsky](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392806)\n2. [Judge Joel H. Slomsky '70](https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/judge-joel-h-slomsky/)\n3. [Hon. Joel H. Slomsky, Class of 1970](https://digitalcommons.nyls.edu/distinguished_judges/14/)\n4. [Ruling allows DEP to do its job](https://www.citizensvoice.com/2012/04/30/ruling-allows-dep-to-do-its-job/)\n5. [Judge dismisses $150 million Federal lawsuit against New Hanover](https://www.pottsmerc.com/2025/02/07/judge-dismisses-150-million-federal-lawsuit-against-new-hanover/)\n6. [Joel Slomsky, JudicialFinder](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/joel-slomsky)\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 Se to Sy*\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", "same_as": [ "https://www.nyls.edu/faculty/judge-joel-h-slomsky/" ], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky.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": "\"Joel H. Slomsky\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Joel H. Slomsky](https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky](https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Joel H. Slomsky\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/joel-h-slomsky. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Joel H. Slomsky is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2008." }