# Guido Calabresi

Guido Calabresi (born 1932 in Milan, Italy) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-second-circuit) since 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> He was appointed to the court by President William J. Clinton, receiving his commission on July 21, 1994.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> He assumed senior status on July 21, 2009, and continues to serve on the court as a senior judge.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |
| Appointed by | William J. Clinton<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |
| Confirmed | July 18, 1994, by voice vote<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |
| Senior status | July 21, 2009<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |
| Born | 1932 in Milan, Italy<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |
| Education | B.S., Yale University, 1953; B.A., University of Oxford, Magdalen College, 1955; LL.B., Yale Law School, 1958<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> |

## Early life and education

Calabresi was born in 1932 in Milan, Italy.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> He received a B.S. degree, summa cum laude, from Yale College in 1953, a B.A. degree with First Class Honors from Magdalen College, Oxford University, in 1955, and an LL.B. degree, magna cum laude, from [Yale Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/yale-law-school) in 1958.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> He also received an M.A. in Politics, Philosophy and [Economics](https://www.edgepedia.org/economics) from Oxford University in 1959.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> A Rhodes Scholar and a member of [Phi Beta Kappa](https://www.edgepedia.org/phi-beta-kappa) and the Order of the Coif, he served as Note Editor of the Yale Law Journal in 1957-58 and graduated first in his law school class.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup>

## Legal career

After law school, Calabresi clerked for Justice Hugo Black of the [Supreme Court of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-the-united-states) from 1958 to 1959.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> He joined the Yale Law School faculty in 1959 and taught there until 1994, serving as dean from 1985 to 1994.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> Before his appointment to the bench, he was [Dean](https://www.edgepedia.org/dean-education) and Sterling Professor at the law school, and he continues to serve on its faculty as Sterling Professor Emeritus and Professorial Lecturer.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> He is the author of five books and more than a hundred articles on law and related subjects, and has received some fifty honorary degrees from universities in the United States and abroad.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup>

Alongside his academic career, Calabresi served as a town selectman of Woodbridge, Connecticut, from 1971 to 1975.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/calabresi-guido)</sup>

## Federal judicial service

President William J. Clinton nominated Calabresi to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on February 9, 1994.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on July 18, 1994, and he received his commission on July 21, 1994.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup> He entered into duty on September 16, 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)</sup> He assumed senior status on July 21, 2009.<sup>[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)</sup>

## References

1. [Judge Guido Calabresi, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit](https://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/judges/bios/gc.html)
2. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Guido Calabresi](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1378726)
3. [Federal Judicial Center: Calabresi, Guido](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/calabresi-guido)

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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 courts of appeals judges › Surnames A to C*

*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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
