--- title: "Patty Shwartz | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patty-shwartz" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Patty Shwartz U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit - State: National federal courts - Role: U.S. Circuit Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2013-present - In summary, Patty Shwartz is a seasoned federal judge with a background in public prosecution, judicial service, and legal academia, now serving on the Third Circuit since 2013 - American federal judge serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2013 and confirmed by the Senate 64–34 - U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 2003-2013 - Appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey in 2003, serving until her elevation to the Third Circuit in 2013 - From 1989 to 2003, she served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, holding leadership roles such as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division (1995–1999), Chief of the Criminal Division (1999–2001, 2002–2003), and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney (2001–2002) - Law clerk, Hon. Harold A. Ackerman, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1987-1989 - She then clerked for Judge Harold A. Ackerman of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (1987–1989) - Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit - She is also Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law and Rutgers School of Law–Newark ### Education - a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1986, where she was on the Law Review. - Rutgers University-New Brunswick — B.A. (1983) - She obtained a B.A. with highest honors from Rutgers University in 1983 - University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School ### Additional information - President Obama nominated Shwartz on October 5, 2011, and she was confirmed by the Senate on April 9, 2013. - Private practice, Philadelphia, PA, 1986-1987 - Born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1961, Shwartz grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ, where she attended Hebrew school and became bat mitzvah at Congregation Beth Shalom. - Date of birth: 1961-01-01 - The American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary rated her “well qualified” for the post. - After law school, Shwartz held a position as an associate at Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz in Philadelphia. - Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Criminal Law and various Third Circuit committees. - Pompton Lakes High School - She succeeded Judge Maryanne Trump Barry. - She holds leadership roles in professional organizations, including the Federal Judges Association Executive Committee. - As a magistrate judge, she sentenced rapper Ja Rule (Jeffrey Atkins) to 28 months in federal prison for failing to file tax returns for five years, resulting in $1.1 million in losses. - Birth place: Paterson, NJ ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### appellate oral argument Scope: courtwide In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation. Evidence excerpt: Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessary [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394166) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394166) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394166) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2961/patty-shwartz/) - [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2961/patty-shwartz/) - [Wikidata: Patty Shwartz](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7148729) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patty-shwartz", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patty-shwartz", "name": "Patty Shwartz | KnowJudges", "description": "Patty Shwartz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. 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