{ "id": "epn20cfbxq", "slug": "joseph-f-saporito-jr", "title": "Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.", "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-q-to-sc", "label": "Surnames Q to Sc", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-q-to-sc" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-q-to-sc", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Q to Sc", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-q-to-sc", "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-q-to-sc", "label": "Surnames Q to Sc", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-q-to-sc" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., born 1960, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2024, nominated by President Biden.", "snippet": "Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., born 1960, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2024, nominated by President Biden.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-q-to-sc", "markdown": "# Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.\n\nJoseph Francis Saporito, Jr. (born 1960) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) Before his district judgeship, he served as a [United States magistrate judge](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-magistrate-judge) for the same court from 2015 to 2024, including as chief magistrate judge in 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) |\n| Confirmed | July 31, 2024 (Senate voted 53 to 39)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180579) |\n| Born | 1960, Pittston, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) |\n| Education | B.A., Villanova University, 1982; J.D., Dickinson School of Law (now Penn State Dickinson Law), 1985[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSaporito was born in 1960 in Pittston, Pennsylvania.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from [Villanova University](https://www.edgepedia.org/villanova-university) in 1982 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the Dickinson School of Law, now Penn State Dickinson Law, in 1985.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Saporito entered private practice in Pittston, Pennsylvania, from 1985 to 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) He concurrently served as an assistant public defender in [Luzerne County, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/luzerne-county-pennsylvania), from 1985 to 2015, and as a law clerk to the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne County from 1986 to 2009.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) His practice covered both civil and criminal law in Luzerne County.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/) Among the matters he handled in private practice was *Scalzo v. Twp. of Exeter*, in which he represented a cabinetmaker seeking permission to use his property for his business.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/) As a public defender, he represented a defendant charged with possession with intent to distribute ecstasy who was acquitted after a jury trial, and secured an acquittal for a defendant charged with assaulting a homeless man.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nSaporito served as a United States magistrate judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2024, and as chief magistrate judge in 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) In that role he handled arraignments and bail decisions and presided over cases in which the parties consented, including 14 jury trials and two bench trials.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/)\n\nOn May 14, 2024, President Joseph R. Biden nominated Saporito to a district judgeship on the Middle District of Pennsylvania, to a seat vacated by [Malachy Edward Mannion](https://www.edgepedia.org/malachy-e-mannion).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) The Senate confirmed him on July 31, 2024, by a vote of 53 to 39,[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180579) and he received his commission on August 13, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn *Hazen v. Woodloch Pines Resort*, decided February 16, 2024, then-Chief Magistrate Judge Saporito denied a resort's motion for summary judgment in a case arising from a fall on an outdoor low ropes challenge course during a corporate team building activity. He wrote that awareness of a general risk does not amount to awareness of a specific risk under Pennsylvania's assumption of risk doctrine, found that the potential for serious injury could not have been appreciated under the circumstances, and noted a factual dispute over whether the plaintiff's participation was voluntary.[4](http://www.torttalk.com/2024/04/chief-magistrate-judge-saporito-of.html)\n\nIn *Cuvo v. Pocono Mountain School District*, decided March 21, 2022, Saporito ruled that qualified immunity required dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a student who was injured in gym class without appropriate protective equipment; the decision was affirmed on appeal by the Third Circuit on August 4, 2023.[3](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Saporito, Joseph Francis, Jr. | Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761816)\n2. [U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote, July 31, 2024](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180579)\n3. [Judge Joseph Saporito – Nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania | The Vetting Room](https://vettingroom.org/2024/06/12/judge-joseph-saporito/)\n4. [Chief Magistrate Judge Saporito of Federal Middle District Court Reviews Assumption of Risk Doctrine | Tort Talk](http://www.torttalk.com/2024/04/chief-magistrate-judge-saporito-of.html)\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 Q to Sc*\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/joseph-f-saporito-jr", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr.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": "\"Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr](https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Joseph F. Saporito, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-f-saporito-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., born 1960, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2024, nominated by President Biden." }