Joshua Dale Dunlap | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | |
| Assumed office November 7, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | William J. Kayatta Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1983 (age 42–43) Waterville, Maine, U.S. |
| Education | Pensacola Christian College (BA) University of Notre Dame (JD) |
Joshua Dale Dunlap (born 1983) is an American lawyer who has served as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit since 2025. He was a partner with the law firm of Pierce Atwood from 2009 to 2025.
Early life and education
[edit]Dunlap was born in 1983, in Waterville, Maine.[1] He received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in 2005 from Pensacola Christian College. He received a Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, in 2008 from Notre Dame Law School, where he was note editor of the Notre Dame Law Review. Dunlap served as a law clerk for Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 2008 to 2009.[2][1]
Career
[edit]In 2009, Dunlap joined the law firm of Pierce Atwood in its Portland office as an associate.[1] In 2018, he was promoted to be a partner.[3][2] His focus was on commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels.[4]
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (2025–Present)
[edit]On July 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Dunlap to a seat vacated by Judge William J. Kayatta Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.[3] A hearing on his nomination was held on July 30, 2025.[5] On September 11, 2025, his nomination was advanced to the United States Senate by a 12-10 vote.[6][1] On October 30, 2025, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 51-47 vote.[7] Dunlap was confirmed on November 4, 2025 by a 52-46 vote.[8] He received his judicial commission on November 7, 2025.[9]
Personal
[edit]Dunlap resides in Scarborough, Maine.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Dunlap, Joshua Dale (July 30, 2025). "Dunlap's Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire" (PDF). judiciary.senate.gov. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ a b "Joshua D. Dunlap | Pierce Atwood". www.pierceatwood.com.
- ^ a b Raymond, Nate; Martinez, Christian (July 2, 2025). "Trump names two new nominees to serve as appeals court judges". Reuters. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
- ^ Fetherston, Jon (5 November 2025). "Senate Confirms Maine Attorney Joshua Dunlap to First Circuit in Party-Line Vote". The Maine Wire. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
- ^ "Nominations". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. July 30, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ "Results of the Committee Executive Business Meeting". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. September 11, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Joshua D. Dunlap to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the First Circuit)". www.senate.gov. October 30, 2025. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
- ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Joshua D. Dunlap, of Maine, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the First Circuit)". www.senate.gov. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
- ^ Joshua Dunlap at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
External links
[edit]- Joshua Dunlap at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
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