Sparkle L. Sooknanan: Difference between revisions

Sparkle L. Sooknanan
Sparkle L. Sooknanan
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 2, 2025
Appointed by	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Florence Y. Pan
Personal details
Born	Sparkle Leah Sooknanan; 1983 (age 41–42); Trinidad and Tobago
Education	St. Francis College (BS); Hofstra University (MBA); Brooklyn Law School (JD)

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Sparkle Leah Sooknanan^[2] (born 1983)^[3] is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian-born American lawyer who serves as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Education

Sooknanan Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from St. Francis College in 2002, a Master of Business Administration with distinction from Hofstra University in 2003 and a Juris Doctor summa cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 2010.^[4]

Career

From 2010 to 2011, Sooknanan served as a law clerk for Judge Eric N. Vitaliano of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, from 2011 to 2012, she was a law clerk for Judge Guido Calabresi of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and from 2013 to 2014, she was a law clerk for Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the U.S. Supreme Court. From 2012 to 2013, she worked at the United States Department of Justice as an appellate attorney in the Civil Division.

From 2014 to 2021, Sooknanan worked in private practice at Jones Day, becoming a partner at the firm in 2020. Sooknanan resigned from Jones Day in January 2021. Before her resignation, The New York Times reported that she denounced the firm's work in Pennsylvania on behalf of the Trump administration, saying that one lawsuit "was brought for no other reason than to deprive poor people of the right to vote."^[5] In her 2024 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate, Sooknanan denied saying this, stating "Those were not my words. I do not know who provided that quote to the reporter."^[6]

Sooknanan was a deputy associate attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice from 2021 to 2023. From 2023 to 2025, she served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.^[4]

Federal judicial service

On February 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Sooknanan to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.^[4] Sooknanan was recommended to the seat by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.^[7] On February 27, 2024, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Sooknanan to the seat vacated by Judge Florence Y. Pan, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on September 28, 2022.^[8] On March 20, 2024, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[9] During her confirmation hearing, she was questioned by Senator Josh Hawley over her work for Jones Day representing hedge fund investors working in Puerto Rico.^[10] Sooknanan served as lead counsel on behalf of Puerto Rican bondholders or vulture funds who were seeking to maximize recovery of money during the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis.^[11] Sooknanan told Hawley that she had not been lead counsel, although legal records and Jones Day confirmed that she had been lead counsel.^[6] On April 18, 2024, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 11–10 party-line vote.^[12]^[13] On November 20, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 51–49 vote.^[14] On December 3, 2024, her nomination was confirmed by a 50–48 vote.^[15] She received her judicial commission on January 2, 2025.^[16]

References

^ Williams, Laurel V. (March 8, 2024). "US president nominates Trinidad woman to serve as district judge". newsday.co.tt.
^ "Sparkle Leah Sooknanan". Retrieved February 21, 2024.
^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "President Biden Names Forty-Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees and Announces Two New Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorney" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ Enrich, David (August 25, 2022). "How a Corporate Law Firm Led a Political Revolution". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Dayen, David (April 5, 2024). "Biden Nominee Asked About Discrepancies in Testimony". The American Prospect. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
^ "BIDEN NOMINATES NORTON RECOMMENDATION, SPARKLE L. SOOKNANAN, FOR THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR D.C." (Press release). February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 27, 2024.
^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. March 19, 2024.
^ Weiss, Benjamin S. "Senate Republicans buck blue slips on US attorney nominees". Courthouse News. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
^ Dayen, David (February 28, 2024). "Biden Judge Nominee Worked for Vulture Funds Holding Puerto Rican Debt". The American Prospect. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – April 18, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
^ "Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Ten Nominations to the Full Senate" (Press release). United States Senate Judiciary Committee. April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sparkle L. Sooknanan to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)". United States Senate. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sparkle L. Sooknanan, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)". United States Senate. December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
^ Sparkle L. Sooknanan at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

External links

Sparkle L. Sooknanan at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
Sparkle L. Sooknanan at Ballotpedia

Legal offices
Preceded by Florence Y. Pan	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia 2025–present	Incumbent

This biography of a federal judge in the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] Williams, Laurel V. (March 8, 2024). "US president nominates Trinidad woman to serve as district judge". newsday.co.tt.

[2] "Sparkle Leah Sooknanan". Retrieved February 21, 2024.

[Questionnaire-3] "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved March 19, 2024.

[WHBio-4] "President Biden Names Forty-Sixth Round of Judicial Nominees and Announces Two New Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorney" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[5] Enrich, David (August 25, 2022). "How a Corporate Law Firm Led a Political Revolution". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2024.

[prospect-6] Dayen, David (April 5, 2024). "Biden Nominee Asked About Discrepancies in Testimony". The American Prospect. Retrieved 16 May 2024.

[7] "BIDEN NOMINATES NORTON RECOMMENDATION, SPARKLE L. SOOKNANAN, FOR THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR D.C." (Press release). February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.

[8] "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 27, 2024.

[9] "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. March 19, 2024.

[10] Weiss, Benjamin S. "Senate Republicans buck blue slips on US attorney nominees". Courthouse News. Retrieved April 18, 2024.

[11] Dayen, David (February 28, 2024). "Biden Judge Nominee Worked for Vulture Funds Holding Puerto Rican Debt". The American Prospect. Retrieved May 16, 2024.

[12] "Results of Executive Business Meeting – April 18, 2024" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved April 18, 2024.

[13] "Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Ten Nominations to the Full Senate" (Press release). United States Senate Judiciary Committee. April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.

[14] "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sparkle L. Sooknanan to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)". United States Senate. November 20, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.

[15] "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sparkle L. Sooknanan, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)". United States Senate. December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.

[16] Sparkle L. Sooknanan at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|Trinidadian and Tobagonian-American lawyer (born 1983 or 1984)}}
+{{Short description|Trinidadian and Tobagonian-American judge (born 1983)}}
 {{Infobox judge
 | honorific-prefix          =
 | name                      = Sparkle L. Sooknanan
 | honorific-suffix          =
-| image                     =
+| image                     = Sparkle L. Sooknanan-03-20-24.jpg
 | alt                       =
 | caption                   =
-<!--
 | office                    = Judge of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]]
-| status                    = Designate
+| term_start                = January 2, 2025
-| term_start                = TBD
 | term_end                  =
 | appointer                 = [[List of federal judges appointed by Joe Biden|Joe Biden]]
-| succeeding                = [[Florence Y. Pan]]
 | predecessor               = [[Florence Y. Pan]]
 | successor                 =
--->
 | pronunciation             =
 | birth_name                = Sparkle Leah Sooknanan
 | birth_date                = {{birth year and age|1983}}
+| birth_place               = [[Trinidad and Tobago]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2024/03/08/us-president-nominates-trinidad-woman-to-serve-as-district-judge/,%20https://newsday.co.tt/2024/03/08/us-president-nominates-trinidad-woman-to-serve-as-district-judge/|title=US president nominates Trinidad woman to serve as district judge|first=Laurel V.|last=Williams|date=March 8, 2024|website=newsday.co.tt}}</ref>
-| birth_place               = [[Trinidad and Tobago]]
 | death_date                =
 | death_place               =
@@ Line 30: / Line 26: @@
 }}
-'''Sparkle Leah Sooknanan'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sparkle Leah Sooknanan |url=https://www.martindale.com/attorney/sparkle-leah-sooknanan-168945456/ |access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> (born 1983)<ref name="Questionnaire">{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/sooknanan_sjq.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref> is a [[Trinidadians and Tobagonians|Trinidadian and Tobagonian]] born American lawyer who is a nominee to serve as a [[United States federal judge|United States district judge]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]].
+'''Sparkle Leah Sooknanan'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sparkle Leah Sooknanan |url=https://www.martindale.com/attorney/sparkle-leah-sooknanan-168945456/ |access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> (born 1983)<ref name="Questionnaire">{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/sooknanan_sjq.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=March 19, 2024}}</ref> is a [[Trinidadian and Tobagonian Americans|Trinidadian and Tobagonian-born]] American lawyer who serves as a [[United States federal judge|United States district judge]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]].
 == Education ==
@@ Line 38: / Line 34: @@
 == Career ==
-From 2010 to 2011, Sooknanan served as a [[law clerk]] for Judge [[Eric N. Vitaliano]] of the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York]], from 2011 to 2012, she was a law clerk for Judge [[Guido Calabresi]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] and from 2013 to 2014, she was a law clerk for Justice [[Sonia Sotomayor]] of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. From 2014 to 2021, Sooknanan worked in private practice at [[Jones Day]], becoming a partner at the firm in 2020. From 2012 to 2013, she worked at the [[United States Department of Justice]] as an appellate attorney in the Civil Division and as a deputy associate attorney general from 2021 to 2023. Since 2023, she has served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general in the [[United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division|Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice]].<ref name="WHBio" />
+From 2010 to 2011, Sooknanan served as a [[law clerk]] for Judge [[Eric N. Vitaliano]] of the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York]], from 2011 to 2012, she was a law clerk for Judge [[Guido Calabresi]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] and from 2013 to 2014, she was a law clerk for Justice [[Sonia Sotomayor]] of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]].  From 2012 to 2013, she worked at the [[United States Department of Justice]] as an appellate attorney in the Civil Division.
+From 2014 to 2021, Sooknanan worked in private practice at [[Jones Day]], becoming a partner at the firm in 2020. Sooknanan resigned from Jones Day in January 2021. Before her resignation, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that she denounced the firm's work in Pennsylvania on behalf of the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]], saying that one lawsuit "was brought for no other reason than to deprive poor people of the right to vote."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Enrich |first1=David |title=How a Corporate Law Firm Led a Political Revolution |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/25/magazine/jones-day-trump.html |access-date=May 16, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=August 25, 2022}}</ref> In her 2024 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate, Sooknanan denied saying this, stating "Those were not my words. I do not know who provided that quote to the reporter."<ref name=prospect/>
-=== Nomination to district court ===
+Sooknanan was a deputy associate attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice from 2021 to 2023. From 2023 to 2025, she served as the principal deputy assistant attorney general in the [[United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division|Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice]].<ref name="WHBio" />
-On February 21, 2024, President [[Joe Biden]] announced his intent to nominate Sooknanan to serve as a [[United States federal judge|United States district judge]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]].<ref name="WHBio" /> Sooknanan was recommended to the seat by Delegate [[Eleanor Holmes Norton]].<ref>{{Cite press release |title=BIDEN NOMINATES NORTON RECOMMENDATION, SPARKLE L. SOOKNANAN, FOR THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR D.C. |date=February 21, 2024 |url=https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/biden-nominates-norton-recommendation-sparkle-l-sooknanan-us-district-court-dc |access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> On February 27, 2024, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Sooknanan to the seat vacated by Judge [[Florence Y. Pan]], who was elevated to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]] on September 28, 2022.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=February 27, 2024|publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/02/27/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-138/}}</ref> On March 20, 2024, a hearing on her nomination was held before the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nominations|date=March 19, 2024|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/03/20/2024/nominations}}</ref> Her nomination is pending before the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]].
+=== Federal judicial service ===
+On February 21, 2024, President [[Joe Biden]] announced his intent to nominate Sooknanan to serve as a [[United States federal judge|United States district judge]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]].<ref name="WHBio" /> Sooknanan was recommended to the seat by Delegate [[Eleanor Holmes Norton]].<ref>{{Cite press release |title=BIDEN NOMINATES NORTON RECOMMENDATION, SPARKLE L. SOOKNANAN, FOR THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR D.C. |date=February 21, 2024 |url=https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/biden-nominates-norton-recommendation-sparkle-l-sooknanan-us-district-court-dc |access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> On February 27, 2024, her nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Sooknanan to the seat vacated by Judge [[Florence Y. Pan]], who was elevated to the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]] on September 28, 2022.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=February 27, 2024|publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/02/27/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-138/}}</ref> On March 20, 2024, a hearing on her nomination was held before the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nominations|date=March 19, 2024|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/03/20/2024/nominations}}</ref> During her confirmation hearing, she was questioned by Senator [[Josh Hawley]] over her work for [[Jones Day]] representing hedge fund investors working in Puerto Rico.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Weiss|first=Benjamin S.|title=Senate Republicans buck blue slips on US attorney nominees|url=https://www.courthousenews.com/senate-republicans-buck-blue-slips-on-us-attorney-nominees/|website=Courthouse News|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref> Sooknanan served as lead counsel on behalf of Puerto Rican bondholders or [[vulture fund]]s who were seeking to maximize recovery of money during the [[Puerto Rican government-debt crisis]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dayen |first1=David |title=Biden Judge Nominee Worked for Vulture Funds Holding Puerto Rican Debt |url=https://prospect.org/justice/2024-02-28-biden-judge-nominee-vulture-funds-puerto-rican-debt/ |access-date=May 16, 2024 |work=The American Prospect |date=February 28, 2024 |language=en-us}}</ref> Sooknanan told Hawley that she had not been lead counsel, although legal records and Jones Day confirmed that she had been lead counsel.<ref name=prospect>{{cite news |last1=Dayen |first1=David |title=Biden Nominee Asked About Discrepancies in Testimony |url=https://prospect.org/justice/2024-04-05-biden-nominee-sooknanan-testimony/ |access-date=16 May 2024 |work=The American Prospect |date=April 5, 2024 |language=en-us}}</ref> On April 18, 2024, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 11–10 [[party-line vote]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2024-04-18_-_ebm_-_results.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – April 18, 2024|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Ten Nominations to the Full Senate |date=April 18, 2024 |publisher=United States Senate Judiciary Committee |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/releases/senate-judiciary-committee-advances-ten-nominations-to-the-full-senate |access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref> On November 20, 2024, the [[United States Senate]] invoked [[cloture]] on her nomination by a 51–49 vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00296.htm|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Sparkle L. Sooknanan to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)|website=United States Senate|date=November 20, 2024|access-date=November 20, 2024}}</ref> On December 3, 2024, her  nomination was confirmed by a 50–48 vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00306.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Sparkle L. Sooknanan, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia)|website=United States Senate|date=December 3, 2024|access-date=December 3, 2024}}</ref> She received her judicial commission on January 2, 2025.<ref>{{FJC Bio|nid=13761900|inline=yes}}</ref>
 == References ==
 {{Reflist}}
-<!--== External links ==
+== External links ==
-*{{FJC Bio|nid=NID}}-->
+*{{FJC Bio|nid=13761900}}
+*{{Ballotpedia|Sparkle_Sooknanan}}
-<!--
 {{s-start}}
 {{s-legal}}
 {{s-bef|before=[[Florence Y. Pan]]}}
-{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]]}}|years=Taking office 2024}}
+{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|Judge of the [[United States District Court for the District of Columbia]]}}|years=2025–present}}
-{{s-non|reason=Designate}}
+{{s-inc}}
 {{s-end}}
 {{United States DC Circuit district judges}}
--->
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Sooknanan, Sparkle L.}}
+[[Category:1983 births]]
-{{Draft categories|
-[[Category:1980s births]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
+[[Category:21st-century American judges]]
+[[Category:21st-century American women judges]]
 [[Category:21st-century American women lawyers]]
 [[Category:Brooklyn Law School alumni]]
 [[Category:Hofstra University alumni]]
 [[Category:Jones Day people]]
+[[Category:Judges of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia]]
 [[Category:Law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States]]
 [[Category:St. Francis College alumni]]
 [[Category:Trinidad and Tobago emigrants to the United States]]
 [[Category:United States Department of Justice lawyers]]
+[[Category:United States district court judges appointed by Joe Biden]]
-}}
 {{US-federal-judge-stub}}