{ "id": "epvzkcb9xw", "slug": "richard-g-taranto", "title": "Richard G. Taranto", "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-t-to-w", "label": "Surnames T to W", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: 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", "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" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Richard Gary Taranto, born in 1957, is an American judge on the Federal Circuit court of appeals since 2013 who earlier argued 19 Supreme Court cases as a patent lawyer.", "snippet": "Richard Gary Taranto, born in 1957, is an American judge on the Federal Circuit court of appeals since 2013 who earlier argued 19 Supreme Court cases as a patent lawyer.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w", "markdown": "# Richard G. Taranto\n\nRichard Gary Taranto (born 1957) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-federal-circuit) since 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) He was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in March 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) Before taking the bench, he was an appellate lawyer who argued 19 cases before the [Supreme Court of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-the-united-states), with extensive experience in intellectual property and patent litigation.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) |\n| Confirmed | March 11, 2013 (Senate voted 91 to 0)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130033) |\n| Born | 1957 in New York, NY[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) |\n| Education | B.A., Pomona College, 1977; J.D., Yale Law School, 1981[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nTaranto was born in 1957 in New York, New York.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) He received a B.A. summa cum laude from [Pomona College](https://www.edgepedia.org/pomona-college) in [Claremont, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/claremont-california), in 1977.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals) He then attended [Yale Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/yale-law-school), where he served as an Article and Book Editor on the Yale Law Journal, and received his J.D. in 1981.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) • [2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Taranto clerked for Judge Abraham Sofaer 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) from 1981 to 1982.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) He then clerked for Judge Robert Bork of the [United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-district-of-columbia-circuit) from 1982 to 1983, and for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1983 to 1984.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141)\n\nIn 1984, Taranto joined the Washington, D.C. firm of Onek, Klein & Farr.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals) He left in 1986 to serve as an assistant to the solicitor general in the U.S. Department of Justice, a position he held until 1989.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) He returned to private practice in Washington, D.C. in 1989, becoming a named partner in 1991 at the firm that has been known as Farr & Taranto since 1994.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) • [2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals) He practiced there until 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141)\n\nTaranto argued 19 cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and litigated intellectual property and patent cases before both the Federal Circuit and the Supreme Court.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals) He taught a course on patent law at [Harvard Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-law-school) and several courses at the Georgetown University Law Center, and since 2009 he served as a member of the Appellate Rules Advisory Committee for the United States Judicial Conference.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nObama first nominated Taranto to the Federal Circuit on November 10, 2011; no Senate vote occurred on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) Announcing the nomination, Obama praised Taranto as a lawyer of exceptional legal ability and great personal and professional integrity, and expressed confidence that his intelligence, independence, judgment, and temperament would make him a welcome addition to the court.[2](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals) Obama renominated Taranto on January 4, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) The Senate confirmed him on March 11, 2013, by a vote of 91 to 0, and he received his commission on March 12, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130033)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Taranto, Richard G. – Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141)\n2. [President Obama Nominates Richard Gary Taranto to Serve on the US Court of Appeals](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/10/president-obama-nominates-richard-gary-taranto-serve-us-court-appeals)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, March 11, 2013](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130033)\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 T to W*\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/richard-g-taranto", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto.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": "\"Richard G. Taranto\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Richard G. Taranto](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Richard G. Taranto\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-g-taranto. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Richard Gary Taranto, born in 1957, is an American judge on the Federal Circuit court of appeals since 2013 who earlier argued 19 Supreme Court cases as a patent lawyer." }