# Cathy Seibel
Cathy Seibel (born 1960) 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 2008.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) She was appointed by President George W. Bush, confirmed in 2008, and assumed senior status on November 3, 2025.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) She has also served as an adjunct professor in law at [Columbia Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbia-law-school).[2](https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/cathy-seibel)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
| Confirmed | July 22, 2008, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
| Senior status | November 3, 2025[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
| Born | 1960, West Islip, NY[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
| Education | A.B., Princeton University, 1982; J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1985[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) |
## Early life and education
Seibel was born in 1960 in West Islip, New York.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) She graduated from Princeton University in 1982 with an A.B. in politics.[2](https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/cathy-seibel) She received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1985, where she was editor-in-chief of the Fordham Law Review.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) • [2](https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/cathy-seibel)
## Legal career
From 1985 to 1987, Seibel served as a law clerk to Judge Joseph M. McLaughlin of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) She then joined the [United States Attorney](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-attorney)'s Office for the Southern District of New York, serving as an assistant United States attorney from 1987 to 1991 and again from 1993 to 2008.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) Between those periods, she was a special assistant United States attorney in the Western District of Washington from 1991 to 1993.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761)
Within the Southern District of New York, Seibel served as assistant United States attorney-in-charge from 1997 to 1999, senior trial counsel from 1999 to 2005, and deputy United States attorney from 2005 to 2008.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) • [3](https://www.justice.gov/archive/olp/seibelresume.htm) She finished her prosecutorial career as deputy United States attorney for the Southern District of New York.[2](https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/cathy-seibel)
## Federal judicial service
President [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Seibel on March 11, 2008, to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated by Richard Conway Casey.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) The Senate confirmed her on July 22, 2008, by voice vote, and her commission issued on July 30, 2008.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761) She assumed senior status on November 3, 2025.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761)
## References
1. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Cathy Seibel](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392761)
2. [Columbia Law School Faculty: Cathy Seibel](https://www.law.columbia.edu/faculty/cathy-seibel)
3. [United States Department of Justice Archive, Office of Legal Policy: Cathy Seibel Resume](https://www.justice.gov/archive/olp/seibelresume.htm)
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*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 Se to Sy*
*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license