{ "id": "epcvps2aw4", "slug": "john-b-nalbandian", "title": "John B. Nalbandian", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ] } ], "excerpt": "John B. Nalbandian, born John Baylor Nalbandian in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2018, appointed by President Trump.", "snippet": "John B. Nalbandian, born John Baylor Nalbandian in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2018, appointed by President Trump.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "markdown": "# John B. Nalbandian\n\nJohn Baylor Nalbandian (born 1969) is an American jurist serving as a United States circuit judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-sixth-circuit) since 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) He was appointed to the court by President Donald J. Trump.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) He has served as a judge on the court since his commission in 2018 and does not hold chief-judge or senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) |\n| Confirmed | May 15, 2018, by a vote of 53 to 45[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150420) |\n| Born | 1969 in Fort Ord, California[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) |\n| Education | B.S., University of Pennsylvania, 1991; J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, 1994[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nNalbandian was born in 1969 in [Fort Ord](https://www.edgepedia.org/fort-ord), California.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) He received a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1994.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Nalbandian served as a law clerk to Judge Jerry E. Smith of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-fifth-circuit) from 1994 to 1995.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) He then practiced law in Washington, D.C., from 1995 to 2000.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) From 2000 to 2018, he was in private practice in [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati), Ohio.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Nalbandian to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on January 24, 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) The Senate confirmed the nomination on May 15, 2018, by a vote of 53 to 45.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150420) He received his commission on May 17, 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nNalbandian authored the opinion in *Hello Farms Licensing MI, LLC v. GR Vending MI, LLC*, a Sixth Circuit appeal on which he also sat on the panel.[3](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian) He also authored the opinion in *Nationwide Recovery, Inc. v. City of Detroit, Mich.*[3](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian)\n\nAmong other Sixth Circuit matters, Nalbandian sat on the panels in *Elizabeth Koeberer v. Robert Weir*, *Luther Poynter v. Aaron Shirley*, *United States v. Michael Hoffpowier*, *SW Nashville EB Owner, LLC v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty.*, *Demond Liles v. V. Michael Fisher*, *Marion Sinclair v. Andrew Meisner*, and *Mark Lovell v. Clermont Cnty. Sheriff's Office*.[3](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian) He concurred in *Dennis O'Connor v. Rachael Eubanks* and concurred in part in *Derek Antol v. Robert English*.[3](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian) He authored the opinions in *United States v. Joshua Starling* and *United States v. Saruba Asante Smith*.[3](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: John Baylor Nalbandian](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4625006)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, May 15, 2018](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150420)\n3. [John Baylor Nalbandian, Sixth Circuit Opinions and Panels](https://benchlight.org/judges/john-baylor-nalbandian)\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 courts of appeals judges › Surnames K to N*\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": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian.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": "\"John B. Nalbandian\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[John B. Nalbandian](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"John B. Nalbandian\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/john-b-nalbandian. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "John B. Nalbandian, born John Baylor Nalbandian in 1969, is an American jurist serving as a judge on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2018, appointed by President Trump." }