Anuraag Hari "Raag" Singhal (born 1963) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He previously served as a Florida state court judge from 2011 to 2019.

Raag Singhal
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Assumed office
December 20, 2019
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byJames I. Cohn
Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
In office
September 30, 2011 – December 20, 2019
Appointed byRick Scott
Preceded byVictor Tobin
Succeeded byMichael Davis
Personal details
Born1963 (age 60–61)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationRice University (BA)
Wake Forest University (JD)

Biography

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Singhal received a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Wake Forest University School of Law. He began his career as an associate at Fleming, O'Bryan & Fleming in 1989, and spent a year there before becoming an Assistant State Attorney in Broward County. From 1993 to 2011, Singhal maintained a criminal defense and appellate practice in the Fort Lauderdale area. He was appointed to Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida by Governor Rick Scott and served from 2011 to 2019.[1]

State supreme court consideration

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In January 2019, Singhal was considered for one of three vacancies on the Supreme Court of Florida.[2]

Federal judicial service

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In 2017, Singhal was one of ten finalists considered for a federal judgeship in South Florida.[3] On August 14, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Singhal to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.[1] On September 9, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. He was nominated to the seat vacated by James I. Cohn, who assumed senior status on August 5, 2016.[4] On September 11, 2019, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5] On October 24, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote.[6]

On December 18, 2019, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 76–18 vote.[7] On December 19, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 76–17 vote.[8] He received his judicial commission on December 20, 2019.[9] Singhal is the first Asian Pacific American and Indian American to serve as an Article III federal judge on a court within the Eleventh Circuit.[10]

Memberships

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Singhal became a member of the Federalist Society in 1988 and then rejoined in 2011.[11][12]

From 2016 to 2017, he was President of the Stephen R. Booher Chapter of the American Inns of Court.[12]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominees, and United States Marshal Nominees". whitehouse.gov. August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019 – via National Archives.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Breslin, John (January 14, 2019). "DeSantis set to announce appointment of second Supreme Court justice". flarecord.com. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  3. ^ "Indian American Raag Singhal Among 10 Finalists for South Florida Federal Judgeship". India West. December 12, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  4. ^ "Seventeen Nominations and Two Withdrawals Sent to the Senate", White House, September 9, 2019
  5. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for September 11, 2019
  6. ^ Results of Executive Business – October 24, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Anuraag Singhal to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida)". www.senate.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  8. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Anuraag Singhal, of Florida, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida)". www.senate.gov. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Raag Singhal at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  10. ^ NAPABA CELEBRATES THE CONFIRMATION OF JUDGE RAAG SINGHAL TO THE SDFL
  11. ^ "Bio – Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida". Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  12. ^ a b United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Anuraag Singhal
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Legal offices
Preceded by
Victor Tobin
Judge of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
2011–2019
Succeeded by
Michael Davis
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
2019–present
Incumbent