Vernon D. Oliver Confirmed by U.S. Senate as Federal Judge for the District of Connecticut

Oliver becomes the 142nd judge nominated by President Joe Biden to be confirmed.

The U.S. Senate today held a recorded vote to confirm one individual as an Article III federal judge. With this confirmation, 142 judges nominated by President Joe Biden have now been confirmed by the Senate. With today’s action, 105 of Biden’s judicial nominees have been approved for service on federal district courts.

In a 53-44 vote, Vernon D. Oliver was confirmed as a Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. He is Biden’s fourth confirmation to the 8-person court, with one additional vacancy awaiting a nominee by Biden. With Oliver, three of Biden’s nominees remain in active service on this court, while Sarah A.L. Merriam was subsequently elevated to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Oliver assumes the Bridgeport-based seat previously held by Stefan R. Underhill, who took senior status in November 2022. A nominee of President Bill Clinton, Underhill served on this court from 1999 to 2022 and was Chief Judge from 2018 to 2022. Oliver was nominated to this seat on the federal judiciary by Biden in May 2023.

From 1998 to 1999, Oliver worked as an associate at Montstream & May LLP in Glastonbury, Connecticut. From 1999 to 2004, he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. From 2004 to 2009, he served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Connecticut Attorney General. Since 2009, he has served as a Judge on the Connecticut Superior Court. Additionally, he has served as an Administrative Judge for the Middlesex Judicial District since 2020.