Saporito nominated as U.S. District Judge for Middle District of Pa.

May 8—WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman on Wednesday announced that President Joe Biden has nominated Judge Joseph F. Saporito Jr. to serve on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

"Judge Saporito has served the people of Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania for nearly four decades — from his time as an Assistant Public Defender to his work as a magistrate judge," said Sen. Casey, D-Scranton. "His diversity of professional experience, deep commitment to service, and unquestioned integrity will serve him and the people of the Middle District well in this new role. I look forward to voting to swiftly confirm him."

Sen. Fetterman, D-Braddock, said Judge Saporito's nomination to serve as a District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is a testament to his remarkable qualifications.

"With more than four decades of dedicated service in the Luzerne County Public Defender's office, his commitment to public service shines through," Fetterman said. "His extensive experience makes him well-prepared to serve as a District Court Judge. It's my privilege to support his nomination, and I look forward to voting to confirm him."

Pennsylvania's U.S. Senators have a long-standing tradition of working together to recommend and confirm nominees to the federal bench. Sen. Casey previously worked with then-Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA), with whom he confirmed 37 District Court Judges for Pennsylvania on a bipartisan basis from 2007-2022.

Casey and Fetterman have continued this practice, most recently working together to recommend and confirm Judge Julia Munley and Judge Karoline Mehalchick in the Middle District.

Judge Saporito Jr., has been a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2015 and has been the Court's Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge since February 2024.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Saporito served as a part-time Assistant Public Defender in the Office of the Public Defender for Luzerne County from 1985 to 2015, while concurrently maintaining a private legal practice at Saporito & Saporito and then Saporito, Saporito & Falcone.

Judge Saporito received his J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law in 1985, and his B.A. from Villanova University in 1982.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.