Richard Federico

Richard Edward Neel Federico is an American lawyer from Kansas who is serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Education Federico received a Bachelor of Journalism from Indiana University Bloomington in 1999 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2002, and a Master of Laws, with highest distinction, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2012.

Career He served in the United States Navy on active duty from 2002 to 2015, attaining the rank of captain, and has been in active status in the Select Reserves since 2015. On September 6, 2023, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. During his confirmation hearing, he received push back from Republican Senators Josh Hawley and Marsha Blackburn over a client whom he had represented as a public defender in 2018. The client pled guilty to distributing child pornography and Federico made a sentencing recommendation that was below the federal sentencing guidelines for the charge. In response, Federico pointed out that as a public defender, it was his "professional responsibility to vigorously defend his client", whom he did not choose to represent. On September 28, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–8 vote. On December 7, 2023, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 63–32 vote. On December 11, 2023, his nomination was confirmed by a 61–29 vote. He received his judicial commission on December 13, 2023.