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Tom Kleeh
Tom Kleeh
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; March 19, 2022
Preceded by	Gina M. Groh
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; November 5, 2018
Appointed by	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Irene Patricia Murphy Keeley
Personal details
Born	September 14, 1974 (age 50); Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S.
Education	West Virginia University (BSBA, JD)

Thomas Shawn Kleeh (born September 14, 1974)^[1] is the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Biography

Kleeh was born and raised in Wheeling, West Virginia and graduated from Wheeling Central High School.^[2] He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from West Virginia University and his Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University College of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif.^[3]

From 1999 to 2018, he practiced with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, and specialized in labor and employment issues covering both the public and private sectors. He rose to become a member of the firm before becoming a judge. He also served as counsel to the West Virginia Senate's Committee on the Judiciary.^[3]

Federal judicial service

In the summer of 2017, Kleeh met with Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin and received their recommendation to the Trump administration for a federal judgeship.^[2] On February 12, 2018, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Kleeh to an undetermined seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. On February 15, 2018, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Kleeh to the seat vacated by Judge Irene Patricia Murphy Keeley, who assumed senior status on August 12, 2017.^[4] On April 25, 2018, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.^[5] On May 24, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 14–7 vote.^[6] On October 11, 2018, the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by a 65–30 vote.^[7] He received his judicial commission on November 5, 2018. He became Chief Judge on March 19, 2022.^[8]

Notable cases

In 2021, he sentenced serial killer Reta Mays to life in prison without parole plus 20 years for 7 murders and 1 attempted murder. ^[9]

As of 2022, Kleeh is overseeing the trial for the murder of Whitey Bulger.^[10]

Second Amendment

On August 31, 2023, Kleeh upheld the Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban and the National Firearms Act as applied to short-barreled shotguns under New York State Rifle Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.^[11]

On December 1, 2023, Kleeh declared that the minimum age requirement for handgun purchases is unconstitutional under New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.^[12]

References

^ "Attorney Thomas Shawn Kleeh". Lawyer Central. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
^ ^a ^b Snoderly, JoAnn (October 13, 2019). "'I've never had dreams this big': Judge Kleeh closes in on one year as federal judge in NCWV". WV News. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "President Donald J. Trump Announces Eleventh Wave of Judicial Nominees – The White House". trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov.
^ "PN1644 - Nomination of Thomas S. Kleeh for The Judiciary, 115th Congress (2017-2018) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress".
^ "Nominations | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". www.judiciary.senate.gov. April 25, 2018.
^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee" (PDF).
^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation Thomas S. Kleeh, of West Virginia, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia)". United States Senate. October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
^ Tom Kleeh at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
^ Shane III, Leo (May 11, 2021). "Former VA health worker sentenced to life in prison for murdering seven patients via insulin poisoning". Military Times. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
^ Harvey, Matt (October 26, 2022). "Jury selection & trial set for Dec. 13 in slaying of Whitey Bulger". WV News. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
^ "US v. Delauder Denial of Dismissal" (PDF). CourtListener. August 31, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
^ "Brown v. ATF Opinion" (PDF). CourtListener. December 1, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024.

External links

Tom Kleeh at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Irene Patricia Murphy Keeley	Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia 2018–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Gina M. Groh	Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia 2022–present	Incumbent