Albert Diaz

Albert Diaz (born 1960) is an American lawyer who is the chief circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Diaz is the first Hispanic judge to serve on the Fourth Circuit. Prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, Diaz was a North Carolina state superior court judge and an appellate judge for the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals.

Early life and education Raised in Brooklyn as the son of divorced Puerto Rican parents, Diaz and his two brothers were raised by his mother. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. Diaz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and earned a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in 1988. Diaz earned a Master of Science degree from Boston University, in 1993.

Professional career While in the Marines, Diaz served as a prosecutor, defense lawyer and judge.

Federal judicial service On November 4, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Diaz to be a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, to replace Judge William Walter Wilkins, who assumed senior status in July 2007 and later retired. He had a hearing before the Committee on December 16, 2009. He was heard along with fellow nominee James Andrew Wynn by just three of the Committee members. When asked about his judicial philosophy, Diaz said: "We're not simply dealing with an academic exercise, but we're affecting people's lives in each and every case". The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 19–0 on January 28, 2010, to send his nomination to the Senate floor.

A combination of secret holds and the threat of filibuster by Republicans caused Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid not to bring Diaz's confirmation to a vote for nearly eleven months. On December 18, 2010, the Senate confirmed Diaz by a voice vote. He received his commission on December 22, 2010. He became chief judge on July 8, 2023.