Connecticut judge nominated for U.S. Court of Appeals post
A former Connecticut public defender and New Haven native has been nominated for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, according to the White House.
Sarah A. L. Merriam has been a U.S. District Court judge for the District of Connecticut since 2021. Merriam was previously a magistrate judge and an assistant federal public defender in Connecticut from 2007 to 2015.
The U.S. Court of Appeals is the second-highest judicial authority in the nation, behind the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sen. Chris Murphy said he was “proud” of the president :for placing his faith in Judge Merriam.”
“Sarah is a passionate believer in justice and one of the smartest people I know,” Murphy said on Twitter. “She’ll be a great appellate judge.”
Merriam began her career as an associate at the Connecticut-based law firm Cowdery, Ecker & Murphy, and as a law clerk for Judge Thomas Meskill on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Judge Alvin Thompson on the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., expressed his support for Merriam’s nomination on Twitter, saying he expected her nomination to receive bipartisan approval.
“Her values emphasize equity and equal opportunity,” Blumenthal tweeted. “Judge Merriam’s a great listener — taking seriously every legal claim and following the facts and law with care and intellect.”
When she was nominated for the U.S. District Court, Merriam was approved 54-46, four Republicans voting in favor.
“Judge Merriam has demonstrated deep legal insight, unflinching fairness and fidelity to justice,” Blumenthal said. “She will bring to the appellate court an unstinting commitment to the rule of law at a time when its importance is paramount.”
Merriam is a graduate of Duke Law School, Yale Law School and Georgetown University.
Born in Hawaii, Merriam “moved to New Haven at an early age and is proud to call the Elm City her hometown,” according to her official biography. She graduated from the Hopkins School in 1989.