Sean C. Staples

Sean C. Staples
Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Assumed office
February 25, 2022
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byLee F. Satterfield
Magistrate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
In office
December 2013 – February 2022
Appointed byLee F. Satterfield
Personal details
Born
Sean Curtis Staples

(1969-04-11) April 11, 1969 (age 55)[1]
Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S.
EducationSyracuse University (BS)
Catholic University of America (JD)

Sean Curtis Staples (born April 11, 1969) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia since 2022. He previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court from 2013 to 2022.

Early life and education[edit]

Staples was raised in New York.[2] He received his Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University in 1991 and his Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in 1996.[3]

Career[edit]

Staples served as a law clerk for Judge Robert E. Morin of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia from 1998 to 1999. From 2000 to 2006, he was a clinical professor in the Criminal Division of the D.C. Law Students in Court Program, supervising law students in the representation of adults and juveniles in D.C. Superior Court. From 2006 to 2013, he was an attorney with the Children’s Law Center, last serving as the Guardian ad Litem Project Director.[3] He previously served as assistant public defender in Fairfax, Virginia. He was appointed to be a magistrate judge by chief judge Lee F. Satterfield in December 2013.[2] He has been assigned to the Criminal and Domestic Violence Divisions on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.[3]

D.C. Superior Court service[edit]

On June 30, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Staples to serve as a Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.[3] On July 13, 2021, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Staples to the seat vacated by Judge Lee F. Satterfield, whose term expired on February 1, 2017.[4] On September 14, 2021, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.[5] On October 6, 2021, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.[6] On February 1, 2022, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination in a 55–38 vote.[7] On February 2, 2022, his nomination was confirmed by a 59–38 vote.[8] He was sworn in on February 25, 2022.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Questionnaire for Nominees to the District of Columbia Courts" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. September 14, 2021. p. 122. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "The Honorable Sean C. Staples Magistrate Judges" (PDF). dccourts.gov. Retrieved June 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "President Biden Names Fifth Round of Judicial Nominees", White House, June 30, 2021 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ House, The White (2021-07-13). "Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  5. ^ "Nominations of Tovah R. Calderon to be an Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and Kenia Seoane Lopez, Rupa R. Puttagunta, and Sean C. Staples to be Associate Judges, Superior Court of the District of Columbia" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. September 14, 2021.
  6. ^ "Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Record" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sean C. Staples to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia)". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  8. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sean C. Staples, of the District of Columbia, to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia)". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  9. ^ "Five New Judges Take Their Place on the Bench in DC Superior Court". DC Courts. February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2022.

External links[edit]


Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
2022–present
Incumbent