By a vote of 82-6, the United States Senate last night confirmed Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Restrepo fills the vacancy that arose when Judge Scirica took senior status on July 1, 2013.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Tulane Law School, Judge Restrepo had sat in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania since June 2013. Before that, he was a Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District for seven years. Judge Restrepo did criminal defense work and served as a Public Defender before taking the bench.
President Obama nominated Judge Restrepo to the Third Circuit on November 12, 2014. Now, after a long delay, he will become Circuit Judge Restrepo.