{ "id": "ep88r42rkc", "slug": "sara-e-hill", "title": "Sara E. Hill", "updated": "2026-09-29", "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-h", "label": "Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "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-h", "label": "Surnames H", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Sara E. Hill, also known as Sara Elizabeth Hill, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma since 2024.", "snippet": "Sara E. Hill, also known as Sara Elizabeth Hill, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma since 2024.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-h", "markdown": "# Sara E. Hill\n\nSara Elizabeth Hill (born 1977) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma since 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) She was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the Senate in December 2023.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) Before taking the bench, she served for nearly twenty years as counsel for the [Cherokee Nation](https://www.edgepedia.org/cherokee-nation), including as the tribe's attorney general.[2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) |\n| Confirmed | December 19, 2023, by a vote of 52 to 14[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) |\n| Born | 1977 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) |\n| Education | B.A., Northeastern State University, 2000; J.D., University of Tulsa College of Law, 2003[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHill was born in 1977 in [Tahlequah, Oklahoma](https://www.edgepedia.org/tahlequah-oklahoma).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) She earned her undergraduate degree at [Northeastern State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/northeastern-state-university) in 2000 and her [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Tulsa College of Law in 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416)\n\n## Legal career\n\nHill joined the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, in 2004 and worked there for nearly twenty years.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) • [2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill) She served as assistant attorney general from 2004 to 2014 and as deputy attorney general from 2014 to 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) From 2015 to 2019 she was the Cherokee Nation's secretary of natural resources, and she then served as attorney general from 2019 to 2023.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) She was appointed by the Cherokee Nation Principal Chief and confirmed by the Tribal Council to these roles.[2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill)\n\nIn addition, Hill served as a special assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma from 2014 to 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) She has litigated before numerous tribal, state, and federal courts.[2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill) In 2023 she was in private practice in Tahlequah.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) The American Bar Association honored her with its Spirit of Excellence Award, and she has received other awards for her advocacy in Indian country.[2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nOn October 24, 2023, President Joseph R. Biden nominated Hill to a United States district judgeship on the Northern District of Oklahoma, filling the seat previously held by [Claire Eagan](https://www.edgepedia.org/claire-eagan), who took senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) • [2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill) The Senate confirmed the nomination on December 19, 2023, by a vote of 52 to 14.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180351) She received her commission on January 2, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416) Hill was sworn in on January 6, 2024, by Chief District Judge John F. Heil to serve as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma.[2](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges - Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761416)\n2. [Notice - Appointment of Judge Sara E. Hill](https://www.oknd.uscourts.gov/news/notice-appointment-judge-sara-e-hill)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, December 19, 2023](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180351)\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 H*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 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/sara-e-hill", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill.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": "\"Sara E. Hill\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Sara E. Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Sara E. Hill\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sara-e-hill. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Sara E. Hill, also known as Sara Elizabeth Hill, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Oklahoma since 2024." }