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 "excerpt": "Katherine P. Failla, also known as Katherine Polk Failla, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the Southern District of New York since 2013.",
 "snippet": "Katherine P. Failla, also known as Katherine Polk Failla, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the Southern District of New York since 2013.",
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 "markdown": "# Katherine P. Failla\n\nKatherine Polk Failla (born 1969) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Southern District of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-southern-district-of-new-york) since 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> She was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in a 91-to-0 vote.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> She has served on the court's district bench since her commission in 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | March 4, 2013 (Senate vote: 91 to 0)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> |\n| Born | 1969, Edison, New Jersey<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., College of William and Mary, 1990; J.D., Harvard Law School, 1993<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nFailla was born in 1969 in [Edison, New Jersey](https://www.edgepedia.org/edison-new-jersey).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> She earned a B.A. from the College of William and Mary in 1990, graduating summa cum laude, and a J.D. from [Harvard Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-law-school) in 1993, graduating cum laude.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/25/president-obama-nominates-three-serve-us-district-court)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nFailla clerked for Judge Joseph E. Irenas of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey from 1993 to 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> She then spent six years in private practice in New York City at the law firm of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, where she handled commercial litigation and securities enforcement and litigation matters.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/25/president-obama-nominates-three-serve-us-district-court)</sup>\n\nIn 2000, Failla joined the [United States Attorney](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-attorney)'s Office for the Southern District of New York as an assistant United States attorney.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> She served as deputy chief of the office's Criminal Appeals Unit from 2004 to 2008 and as chief of the unit from 2008 to 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nFailla was first nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 25, 2012; no Senate vote occurred on that nomination.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> The White House announced her nomination among a group of district court nominees, and President Obama expressed confidence that the nominees would serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.<sup>[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/25/president-obama-nominates-three-serve-us-district-court)</sup> She was renominated on January 4, 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup> The Senate confirmed her on March 4, 2013, by a vote of 91 to 0.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130028)</sup> She received her commission on March 5, 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn re Acetaminophen – ASD-ADHD Products Liability Litigation is presided over by Judge Denise Cote in the Southern District of New York.<sup>[4](https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges)</sup> She has also presided over Underwood et al. v. Coinbase Global Inc., et al., a civil case on the court's docket.<sup>[4](https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges)</sup> The criminal prosecution in The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump was a New York state-court case, presided over by Justice Juan Merchan.<sup>[4](https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394136)\n2. [President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the US District Court](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/06/25/president-obama-nominates-three-serve-us-district-court)\n3. [Roll Call RS1130028](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130028)\n4. [United States District Judges, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York](https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges)\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 F to G*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 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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 "credit": "\"Katherine P. Failla\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine-p-failla. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Katherine P. Failla, also known as Katherine Polk Failla, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the Southern District of New York since 2013."
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