Adam Ben Abelson (born 1982)[1] is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland since 2024. He previously served as a United States magistrate judge of the same court from 2023 to 2024.

Education

Abelson received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Princeton University in 2005 and a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law in 2010.[2]

Career

From 2010 to 2011, he served as a law clerk to Judge Catherine C. Blake of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and again from 2011 to 2012 to Judge Andre M. Davis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. From 2012 to 2023, Abelson worked in private practice at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.[2]

Federal judicial service

Abelson assumed office as a United States magistrate judge on September 18, 2023.[3][4] He was appointed to an 8-year term which would expire in 2031,[5] but he was appointed as a district judge instead.

District court service

On May 8, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Abelson to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. On May 14, 2024, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Abelson to the seat vacated by Judge James K. Bredar, who assumed senior status on April 30, 2024.[6] On June 5, 2024, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[7] On July 11, 2024, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–9 vote.[8] On September 9, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 50–40 vote.[9] The following day, his nomination was confirmed by a 53–43 vote.[10] He received his judicial commission on September 12, 2024.[11] He was sworn in on September 16, 2024.[12]

Notable cases

On February 21, 2025, Abelson issued a preliminary injunction against three provisions of executive orders 14151 and 14173, which would terminate all federal equity-related grants or contracts and require federal contractors to certify they do not operate DEI programs for purposes of FCA liability.[13][14] In issuing his opinion, Abelson argued that the order failed to define terms such as "DEI" or "Equity related", resulting in the order being too vague and broad for a federal employee or grant recipient to reasonably determine their compliance.[15][16] Additionally, Abelson noted the orders possible impacts impairing free speech rights, potentially discouraging businesses, organizations and public entities from openly supporting diversity, equity and inclusion.[17][18]

References

  1. ^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  2. ^ a b "President Biden Names Forty-Ninth Round of Judicial Nominees" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 8, 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "Appointment of Adam Abelson as United States Magistrate Judge". mdd.uscourts.gov (Press release). September 14, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  4. ^ "U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland Appoints Zuckerman Spaeder Partner Adam B. Abelson as Magistrate Judge". www.zuckerman.com. September 15, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "U.S. Magistrate Judges (Maryland)". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. May 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. June 4, 2024.
  8. ^ "Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Eight Judicial Nominations To The Full Senate" (Press release). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  9. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Adam B. Abelson to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland)". United States Senate. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Adam B. Abelson, of Maryland, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland)". United States Senate. September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  11. ^ Adam B. Abelson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  12. ^ "Swearing-In of Adam B. Abelson as District Judge" (PDF). mdd.uscourts.gov. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  13. ^ Sneed, Tiernay; Condon, Emily (February 21, 2025). "Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from carrying out certain anti-DEI directives". CNN. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  14. ^ Timotija, Filip (February 21, 2025). "Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump DEI executive orders". The Hill. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  15. ^ Murray, Conor (February 22, 2025). "Judge Blocks Parts Of Trump's Executive Orders Targeting DEI". Forbes. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  16. ^ Skene, Lea; Whitehurst, Lindsay (February 21, 2025). "Judge largely blocks Trump's executive orders ending federal support for DEI programs". The Associated Press. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  17. ^ Barnes, Daniel; Egwuonwu, Nnamdi (February 21, 2025). "Judge blocks Trump administration from terminating DEI-related grants". NBC News. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  18. ^ Cheney, Kyle (February 21, 2025). "'Arbitrary and discriminatory': Judge blocks Trump's effort to deter DEI programs". Politico. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
2024–present 		Incumbent
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_B._Abelson
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