Federal Prosecutor Mary Kay Costello Confirmed as Judge in Pennsylvania
Costello becomes the 211th federal judge confirmed by the Senate during Joe Biden's presidency.
The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual as an Article III federal judge. With this confirmation, 211 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 164 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.
In a 52-41 vote, Mary Kay Costello was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She is Biden’s fifth confirmation to the 22-person court, with two additional vacancies where the President’s nominees are awaiting confirmation from the Senate.
Costello assumes the Philadelphia-based seat previously held by Cynthia M. Rufe, who took senior status in December 2021. A nominee of President George W. Bush, Rufe served on this court from 2002 to 2021. Costello was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in June 2024.
From 2000 to 2004, Costello worked as an associate at Saul Ewing LLP. She then joined Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP - as an associate from 2004 to 2007 and as counsel from 2007 to 2008. Since 2008, she has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.