Zahid Quraishi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zahid Quraishi
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Assumed office
June 22, 2021
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byPeter G. Sheridan
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
In office
June 3, 2019 – June 22, 2021
Personal details
Born
Zahid Nisar Quraishi

1975 (age 45–46)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice (BA)
Rutgers Law School (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service2003–2007
RankArmy-USA-OF-02.svg Captain
UnitJudge Advocate General's Corps
Battles/warsIraq War
Awards
See list

Zahid Nisar Quraishi (born 1975)[1] is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and a former United States Magistrate Judge of the same court.

Early life and education[]

Quraishi was born in New York City, and raised in Fanwood, New Jersey, by his parents Shahida P. Quraishi and Dr. Nisar A. Quraishi, immigrants from Pakistan.[2] He graduated in 1993 from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.[3] He received his Bachelor of Arts from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 1997, and his Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School in 2000.

Career[]

Upon graduating from law school, Quraishi served as a law clerk to Judge Edwin Stern of the New Jersey Superior Court from 2000 to 2001.[4] From 2001 to 2003, he worked as a litigation associate at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae in Newark, New Jersey.[5]

Military service[]

In June 2003, Quraishi left his law firm to join the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, attaining the rank of captain, before being honorably discharged in 2007. During this time, Quraishi was stationed in Germany and deployed twice to Iraq in support of the Iraq War, both in 2004 and 2006.[4]

Legal career[]

In 2007, Quraishi became an assistant chief counsel in the Office of the Chief Counsel at the United States Department of Homeland Security in New York City for approximately one year. He later became an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, from 2008 to 2013. Before becoming a judge, Quraishi was an attorney at Morristown's Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, LLP, and was a partner at the firm from 2016–2019.[6]

Federal judicial service[]

United States magistrate judge service[]

Quraishi served as a United States Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, a position he was appointed to on June 3, 2019, and left in 2021 upon becoming a district judge. He was the first Asian-American to sit on the federal bench in New Jersey.[7]

District court service[]

On March 30, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Quraishi to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.[4] On April 19, 2021, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Quraishi to the seat vacated by Judge Peter G. Sheridan, who took senior status on June 14, 2018.[8] On April 28, 2021, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[9] On May 20, 2021, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 19–3 vote.[10] On June 10, 2021, cloture was invoked on his nomination by a vote of 83–16.[11] His nomination was confirmed later that day by a vote of 81–16.[12] Upon confirmation, he became the first Muslim-American to serve on a federal district court as an Article III judge.[13] He received his judicial commission on June 22, 2021.[14]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Zahid Nisar Quraishi
  2. ^ "Nisar Quraishi, 73, Longtime Tribeca MD, 'Gave His Life to What He Loved'". April 19, 2020.
  3. ^ "Congratulations Graduates: Scotch Plains/Fanwood High School Class of 1993", The Times, June 24, 1993. Accessed March 30, 2021.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "President Biden Announces Intent to Nominate 11 Judicial Candidates", White House, March 30, 2021 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "Menendez Urges Swift Confirmation of Julien Neals, Zahid Quraishi to NJ Federal Court". Insider NJ. April 28, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  6. ^ "Zahid N. Quraishi Assumes Leadership of White Collar Criminal Practice". February 1, 2019.
  7. ^ "Rutgers Law Grad Becomes First Asian American Federal Judge in New Jersey". July 30, 2019.
  8. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, April 19, 2021
  9. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for April 28, 2021
  10. ^ Results of Executive Business Meeting – May 20, 2021, Senate Judiciary Committee
  11. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Zahid N. Quraishi, of New Jersey, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey)". www.senate.gov. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Zahid N. Quraishi, of New Jersey, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey)". www.senate.gov. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "Biden Names 'Trailblazing' Slate of Judicial Nominees With Diverse Backgrounds". NBC10 Philadelphia. March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  14. ^ "Quraishi, Zahid Nisar – Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.

External links[]

Legal offices
Preceded by
Peter G. Sheridan 		Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
2021–present 		Incumbent
Retrieved from ""