Wendy Williams Berger

Wendy Leigh Williams Berger (born December 1, 1968; in Athens, Georgia, US; née Williams)[1] is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She previously served as a Florida state District Judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Wendy W. Berger
Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Incumbent
Assumed office July 29, 2019
Appointed by	Donald Trump
Preceded by	John E. Steele
Judge of the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal
In office September 2012 – July 29, 2019
Appointed by	Rick Scott
Preceded by	David A. Monaco
Succeeded by	Daniel Traver
Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
In office April 2005 – September 2012
Appointed by	Jeb Bush
Preceded by	Robert Mathis
Succeeded by	Howard Maltz
Personal details
Born	Wendy Leigh Williams December 1, 1968 Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Education	Florida State University (BS, JD)

Education

Berger earned her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Florida State University and her Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law, where she was a member of the Florida State University Law Review.[2]

Legal career

Berger spent seven years prosecuting criminal cases as an Assistant State Attorney. Before ascending to the bench, Berger served from January 2001 until May 2005 as Assistant General Counsel in the Executive Office of the Governor, which was during the gubernatorial tenure of Jeb Bush.[2][3]

State judicial service

In May 2005, Berger was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to serve as a Circuit Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. During her service on the circuit court, Berger presided over the civil and probate divisions (2005–2006) and adult felony division (2006–2012) in St. Augustine. She was also the presiding judge of the St. Johns County Adult Drug Court Program (2005–2012).[3] On August 21, 2012, Governor Rick Scott appointed Berger to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.[4][5] In 2016, she was one of three finalists for an appointment to the Supreme Court of Florida.[1]

Federal judicial service

Berger was one of four names sent to Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson.[6] On April 10, 2018, President Trump nominated Berger to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She was nominated to the seat vacated by Judge John E. Steele, who assumed senior status on June 3, 2015.[7] On October 17, 2018, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8]

On January 3, 2019, her nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. On January 23, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to renominate Berger for a federal judgeship.[9] Her nomination was sent to the Senate later that day.[10] On February 7, 2019, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[11] On July 24, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a vote of 55–37.[12] Her nomination was confirmed later that day by a vote of 54–37.[13] She received her judicial commission on July 29, 2019.

Professional memberships

Berger is a part of the St. Johns County Bar Association, the Orange County Bar Association, The Florida Supreme Court Committee on Civil Jury Instructions, the Florida Bar Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, the Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section's Executive Council, the Dunn Blount Inn of Court, and the Federalist Society.[3]

Personal life

Berger lives with her husband, Larry, in St. Augustine with their two children.[3]

References

1. Voruganti, Harsh (February 6, 2019). "Judge Wendy Williams Berger – Nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida". The Vetting Room. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
2. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Twelfth Wave of Judicial Nominees, Twelfth Wave of United States Attorneys, and Sixth Wave of United States Marshals" White House, April 10, 2018 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. "Judge Wendy Berger District Judge, 5th District Court of Appeal". Retrieved April 10, 2018.
4. "Governor Scott Appoints Judge Wendy W. Berger to the Fifth District Court of Appeal". August 21, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
5. The Times-Union (August 21, 2012). "Wendy Berger appointed to 5th District Court of Appeal". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
6. Hale, Nathan (December 5, 2017). "Fla. Judicial Panel Offers Sens. 4 Names For District Seats". Retrieved April 10, 2018.
7. "Ten Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", The White House, April 10, 2018
8. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for October 17, 2018
9. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Judicial Nominees", White House, January 23, 2019
10. "Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, January 23, 2019
11. Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
12. "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Wendy Williams Berger to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida)" United States Senate, July 24, 2019
13. On the Nomination (Confirmation: Wendy Williams Berger, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Florida), United States Senate, July 24, 2019

External links

• Wendy Williams Berger at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Official Biography on Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal website
• Wendy W. Berger at Ballotpedia