U.S. Senate Approves Jamel K. Semper as Federal Judge for the District of New Jersey
Semper is the ninth federal judge confirmed to New Jersey's district court since Joe Biden became President.
The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual as an Article III federal judge. With this confirmation, 158 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 120 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.
In a 54-44 vote, Jamel K. Semper was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He is Biden’s ninth confirmation to the 17-person court, with one additional vacancy where Biden’s nominee is awaiting confirmation by the Senate.
Semper assumes the Newark-based seat previously held by John Michael Vazquez, who resigned from the court in September 2023. A nominee of President Barack Obama, Vazquez served on this court from 2016 to 2023. Semper was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in September 2023.
From 2008 to 2013, Semper served as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. From 2013 to 2018, he served as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Since 2018, he has been an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. He currently serves as Deputy Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division.