Debra Ann Livingston

Debra Ann Livingston is a prominent American jurist serving as a federal appellate judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the United States Senate in 2007, she has authored significant opinions on criminal procedure, national security, and constitutional law. Her judicial career followed a distinguished tenure as a professor at Columbia Law School and service in the United States Department of Justice.

Early life and education

Livingston was born in New York City and grew up in Westchester County, New York. She pursued her undergraduate studies at Princeton University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then attended Harvard Law School, where she served as an editor for the Harvard Law Review and earned her Juris Doctor. Her academic record at these prestigious institutions laid a strong foundation for her future career in law and academia.

Legal career

Following law school, Livingston served as a law clerk for Judge J. Edward Lumbard of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and later for Justice Byron White of the Supreme Court of the United States. She then joined the United States Department of Justice as an attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel, providing legal advice to the Attorney General of the United States and other executive branch officials. In 1991, she began her academic career as a professor at Columbia Law School, where she taught criminal law and procedure, eventually being named the Paul J. Kellner Professor of Law. Her scholarship often focused on issues of policing and the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Federal judicial service

On January 9, 2007, President George W. Bush nominated Livingston to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated by Judge John M. Walker Jr.. Her nomination was reported favorably by the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary and she was confirmed by the full United States Senate on June 14, 2007, receiving her commission on June 22, 2007. She has since participated in numerous high-profile cases and has served on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. In 2020, she was appointed by Chief Justice John Roberts to serve on the Judicial Conference's Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules.

Notable opinions and jurisprudence

Judge Livingston has authored influential opinions across a range of complex legal areas. In *United States v. Ganias*, she wrote a notable concurrence addressing the application of the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution to digital data retention. In matters of national security, she was part of the panel in *American Civil Liberties Union v. Clapper*, which addressed challenges to the surveillance programs of the National Security Agency. Her opinions in cases like *United States v. Cosme* and *United States v. Raymond* have shaped the interpretation of the Sentencing Guidelines and procedural rules within the Second Circuit. She is generally regarded as a textualist and an originalist in her judicial philosophy.

Professional affiliations and honors

Throughout her career, Livingston has been active in professional legal organizations. She is a member of the American Law Institute and has served on the board of the Legal Aid Society. Her contributions to legal education and scholarship were recognized with an honorary doctorate from New York Law School. She is married to John S. Willett, a partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, and maintains affiliations with the Federalist Society and the New York City Bar Association.