Richard C. Wesley

Richard Carl Wesley (born August 1, 1949) is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Richard C. Wesley
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Incumbent
Assumed office August 1, 2016
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
In office June 12, 2003 – August 1, 2016
Appointed by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Pierre N. Leval
Succeeded by	Richard J. Sullivan
Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals
In office January 3, 1997 – June 12, 2003
Appointed by	George Pataki
Preceded by	Richard D. Simons
Succeeded by	Robert S. Smith
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 136th district
In office January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1986
Preceded by	James L. Emery
Succeeded by	John Hasper
Personal details
Born	(1949-08-01) August 1, 1949 Canandaigua, New York
Political party	Republican
Education	University at Albany, SUNY (BA) Cornell Law School (JD)

Education and background

He was born on August 1, 1949 in Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York. Wesley attended the State University of New York at Albany followed by Cornell Law School, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971 and Juris Doctor in 1974, respectively. He began his career as a lawyer in private practice in Pittsford and Geneseo, New York between 1976 and 1987. He entered politics as a Republican, and was assistant counsel to the minority party in the New York State Assembly from 1979 to 1982. He was a member of the Assembly from 1983 to 1986, sitting in the 185th and 186th New York State Legislatures.[1]

State judicial service

Wesley's judicial career began with his election to the New York State Supreme Court in 1986. He served as a trial judge on the Supreme Court from 1987 to 1994, when he was appointed to the Appellate Division. He was an Associate justice, New York Supreme Court Appellate Division Fourth Judicial Division from 1994 to 1996. In 1997, Governor George Pataki selected Wesley as his first appointee to serve as an Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, New York's highest court, which he did until 2003.[1]

Federal judicial service

On March 5, 2003, President George W. Bush nominated Wesley to the Second Circuit in order to fill the seat vacated by Judge Pierre N. Leval, who took senior status. The United States Senate confirmed Wesley's nomination just over three months later by a vote of 96-0 on June 11, 2003 and he received his commission on June 12, 2003. He took senior status on August 1, 2016.[1]

References

1. "Wesley, Richard C. - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.

External links

• Richard C. Wesley at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by James L. Emery	Member of the New York Assembly from the 136th district 1983–1986	Succeeded by John Hasper
Legal offices
Preceded by Richard D. Simons	Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals 1997–2003	Succeeded by Robert S. Smith
Preceded by Pierre N. Leval	Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2003–2016	Succeeded by Richard J. Sullivan