# Frederic Block

Frederic Block (born 1934) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York since taking senior status in 2005.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> He was appointed to the court by President William J. Clinton in 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> During his judicial service he presided over a number of high-profile trials, and he regularly sits by designation on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |
| Appointed by | William J. Clinton<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |
| Confirmed | September 28, 1994 (voice vote)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |
| Senior status | September 1, 2005<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |
| Born | 1934 in Brooklyn, New York<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |
| Education | A.B., Indiana University, 1956; LL.B., Cornell Law School, 1959<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> |

## Early life and education

Block was born in 1934 in Brooklyn, New York.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> He received a bachelor's degree from [Indiana University](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiana-university) in 1956 and an LL.B. degree from Cornell Law School in 1959.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup>

## Legal career

After law school, Block served as a clerk to the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, from 1959 to 1961.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> He then spent more than three decades in private practice on [Long Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-island), with offices at various times in Patchogue, Port Jefferson, Centereach, Smithtown, and New York, from 1961 until his appointment to the federal bench in 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> He has also served as an adjunct professor at Touro Law School.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup>

## Federal judicial service

President William J. Clinton nominated Block to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on July 22, 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on September 28, 1994, and he received his commission on September 29, 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup> He entered duty on October 31, 1994.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup> He assumed senior status on September 1, 2005.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)</sup>

## Notable cases

Block presided over the trial of former [Bear Stearns](https://www.edgepedia.org/bear-stearns) hedge fund managers Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, who faced charges arising from the collapse of two hedge funds; a jury acquitted both men of all charges in 2009.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup> He also presided over the trial of Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a figure in the drug world and music industry.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup> Other high-profile trials he oversaw included those of [Peter Gotti](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-gotti), a leader of the [Gambino crime family](https://www.edgepedia.org/gambino-crime-family); Lemrick Nelson; and nightclub magnate Peter Gatien.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup>

Outside the courtroom, Block is the author of the books *Race to Judgment* and *Disrobed: An Inside Look at the Life and Work of a Federal Trial Judge*, the latter of which became a best seller.<sup>[2](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)</sup>

## References

1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Frederic Block](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1377946)
2. [About Fred](https://fredericblock.com/aboutfred)

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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 Bl to By*

*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 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