--- title: "Richard Gary Taranto | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-gary-taranto" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Richard Gary Taranto U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal 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 Federal Circuit, 2013-present - American federal judge serving on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since March 12, 2013 - He then worked in private practice at Onek, Klein & Farr (later Farr & Taranto) in Washington, D.C., and held the role of Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice from 1986 to 1989 - Law clerk, Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court of the United States, 1983-1984 - Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (U.S. Supreme Court, 1983–84) - Law clerk, Hon. Robert Bork, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1982-1983 - Law clerk, Hon. Abraham Sofaer, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1981-1982 ### Education - Yale University — J.D. (1981) - Yale Law School in, where he held the role of an article and book editor for the Yale Law Journal — J.D. (1981) ### Additional information - His nomination was returned to the President in January 2013 and resubmitted, leading to Senate confirmation on March 11, 2013 by a 91–0 vote and commission the next day. - Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1989-2013 - Nominated by President Barack Obama on November 10, 2011, to replace retiring Judge Paul Redmond Michel. - Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1984-1986 - Born May 6, 1957, New York City. - Date of birth: 1957-01-01 - The Federal Circuit has exclusive jurisdiction over patent appeals, certain international trade cases, and claims against the U.S. government. - He also completed semesters in mathematics Ph.D. programs at Yale and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. - Birth place: New York, NY ## 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 ### argument check in Scope: courtwide Arguing counsel must check in with the courtroom deputy at least 30 minutes before the day's session starts. Evidence excerpt: Arguing counsel must check-in with the courtroom deputy at their assigned courtroom at least thirty minutes before the start of the day's session. [Federal Circuit: Attending Oral Arguments](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/oral-argument/attending-oral-arguments/) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### same day changes Scope: courtwide Same-day changes to arguing counsel or time divisions are generally not allowed without a prior new appearance and amended response to the notice of oral argument. Evidence excerpt: Same-day changes to arguing counsel or time divisions are generally not allowed, absent prior filing of a new entry of appearance and an amended Response to Notice of Oral Argument in the case. [Federal Circuit: Attending Oral Arguments](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/oral-argument/attending-oral-arguments/) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394141) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3170/richard-gary-taranto/) - [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) - [Federal Circuit: Attending Oral Arguments](https://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/home/oral-argument/attending-oral-arguments/) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/3170/richard-gary-taranto/) - [Wikidata: Richard G. Taranto](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7325842) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-gary-taranto", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-gary-taranto", "name": "Richard Gary Taranto | KnowJudges", "description": "Richard Gary Taranto, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 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