Naomi Reice Buchwald
Encyclopedia
Naomi Reice Buchwald is a United States federal judge
on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
.
, received a B.A.
from Brandeis University
in 1965 and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
in 1968. After law school, Buchwald practiced law in New York until 1973, when she become an Assistant United States Attorney
in the Southern District of New York, rising to the position of Chief of the Civil Division. She held this position until being named a magistrate judge
in the same district in 1980. She served as Chief Magistrate from 1994 until 1999.
On February 12, 1999, Buchwald was nominated by President Bill Clinton
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
vacated by Miriam G. Cedarbaum. Buchwald was confirmed by the United States Senate
on September 13, 1999, and received her commission on September 22, 1999.
She is married to criminal defense attorney Don Buchwald, also a former Assistant United States Attorney, and has two grown children.
reported that, while presiding over a case involving an autistic boy, Judge Buchwald made a remark about former Alaska
Gov. Sarah Palin
and her Down's Syndrome child, Trig, saying, "That kid was used as a prop, and that to me as a parent blew my mind." Judge Buchwald would later backtrack from her comments.
, Judge Buchwald ordered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to unfreeze the ill-gotten profits of Ukrainian
resident Oleksandr Dorozhko. Dorozhko was accused of hacking
into a company database to access a then-unreleased earnings announcement. Based upon the undisclosed information, Dorozhko invested $41,671 in put options, which he sold the following day for $328,571. The SEC froze the profits, but the Judge ruled against the SEC, finding that while Dorozhko's conduct almost certainly was criminal, it did not fall within the relevant civil statute. Judge Buchwald stayed her order pending appeal.
In a highly deferential opinion, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the Judge's ruling. When Dorozhko later stopped participating in his defense, Judge Buchwald granted the SEC summary judgement and ordered Dorozhko to pay nearly $580,000 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. It was later reported that the S.E.C. managed to seize about half of this amount.
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
.
Background
Judge Buchwald was born in Kingston, New YorkKingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
in 1965 and an LL.B. from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1968. After law school, Buchwald practiced law in New York until 1973, when she become an Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
in the Southern District of New York, rising to the position of Chief of the Civil Division. She held this position until being named a magistrate judge
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
in the same district in 1980. She served as Chief Magistrate from 1994 until 1999.
On February 12, 1999, Buchwald was nominated by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
vacated by Miriam G. Cedarbaum. Buchwald was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on September 13, 1999, and received her commission on September 22, 1999.
She is married to criminal defense attorney Don Buchwald, also a former Assistant United States Attorney, and has two grown children.
Controversial Remarks About Sarah Palin
On February 5, 2009, the New York Daily NewsNew York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
reported that, while presiding over a case involving an autistic boy, Judge Buchwald made a remark about former Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
Gov. Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
and her Down's Syndrome child, Trig, saying, "That kid was used as a prop, and that to me as a parent blew my mind." Judge Buchwald would later backtrack from her comments.
SEC v. Dorozhko
In a 2008 civil case for insider tradingInsider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
, Judge Buchwald ordered the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to unfreeze the ill-gotten profits of Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
resident Oleksandr Dorozhko. Dorozhko was accused of hacking
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
into a company database to access a then-unreleased earnings announcement. Based upon the undisclosed information, Dorozhko invested $41,671 in put options, which he sold the following day for $328,571. The SEC froze the profits, but the Judge ruled against the SEC, finding that while Dorozhko's conduct almost certainly was criminal, it did not fall within the relevant civil statute. Judge Buchwald stayed her order pending appeal.
In a highly deferential opinion, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the Judge's ruling. When Dorozhko later stopped participating in his defense, Judge Buchwald granted the SEC summary judgement and ordered Dorozhko to pay nearly $580,000 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and a civil penalty. It was later reported that the S.E.C. managed to seize about half of this amount.