Another Penn figure has entered the federal government.
Stephanos Bibas, a Penn Law School professor, will fill a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. President Donald Trump nominated Bibas in June, and the U.S. Senate voted to confirm him on Nov. 2.
Bibas will make judgments regarding the geographic area including Penn's campus, as the Third Circuit includes the Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, in addition to the Districts of New Jersey, Delaware, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A former federal prosecutor, Bibas has argued multiple times before the Supreme Court. Bibas is also the director of Penn’s Supreme Court Clinic, which gives law students the opportunity to work on real Supreme Court cases by preparing research, writing briefs, and participating in moot court rehearsals. He has also been involved in the campaign for open expression at Penn, serving as the chair of the Committee on Open Expression in the 2014-2015 academic year.
"[Bibas] is a deeply insightful legal scholar, an accomplished appellate advocate, and an outstanding teacher," Dean of Penn Law School Ted Ruger told Philly.com. "The Third Circuit will be adding an exceptional jurist to its ranks."
Prior to Bibas' confirmation, 121 lawyers wrote an open letter, praising Bibas’ “fair-mindedness, conscientiousness, and personal integrity,” and his excellence “both as a scholar and as a person.”
Several other judges with connections to Penn Law currently sit on the Third Circuit, including two Penn Law alumni, two current adjunct professors, one previous adjunct professor, and one senior fellow.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate