Judge Gregory Katsas
District of Columbia Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Gregory George Katsas was born in August 1964 in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School. He clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, then clerked for one year with then-D.C. District Judge Clarence Thomas. He again clerked for Justice Thomas for a year after his confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Katsas specialized in civil and appellate litigation in a private law firm in Washington, D.C., becoming a partner in the firm. He served in the Justice Department as an assistant attorney general for the Civil Division and as acting associate attorney general during President George W. Bush’s administration. He returned to private practice until President Donald Trump’s first term, when Katsas served as deputy White House counsel.
Katsas was nominated by President Trump for a seat on the District of Columbia U.S. Court of Appeals in September 2017. The Senate confirmed him in November, and he received his commission in December.
In the News…
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that District Judge James Boasberg cannot advance with contempt proceedings against President Trump’s administration. The lower court judge had alleged that the president’s administration violated his emergency block of the use of the Alien Enemies Act for immigration deportations.
“The district court here was placed in an enormously difficult position,“ Judge Gregory Katsas wrote in the decision. “Faced with an emergency situation, it had to digest and rule upon novel and complex issues within a matter of hours. In that context, the court quite understandably issued a written order that contained some ambiguity.”
The ruling did not address the legality of the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. “Nor may we decide whether the government’s aggressive implementation of the presidential proclamation warrants praise or criticism as a policy matter,” Judge Katsas added. “Perhaps it should warrant more careful judicial scrutiny in the future. Perhaps it already has.”
He concluded, “Regardless, the government’s initial implementation of the proclamation clearly and indisputably was not criminal.”
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Katsas today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Gregory Katsas
U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit
E. Bennett Perryman U.S. Courthouse
333 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
