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Kent Jordan

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Kent Jordan

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Prior offices

United States District Court for the District of Delaware

United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit

Education

Personal

Kent A. Jordan was a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. He joined the court in 2006 after being nominated by President George W. Bush (R).^[1]

Jordan retired on January 15, 2025.^[2]^[3]

Biography

Early life and education

Born in West Point, New York, Jordan graduated from Brigham Young University with his bachelor's degree in 1981 and from Georgetown University Law Center with his J.D. in 1984.^[1]

Professional career

2006-2025: Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
2002-2006: Judge, United States District Court for the District of Delaware
1998-2002: Vice president and general counsel, Corporation Service Company, Wilmington, Del.
1995-1996: Adjunct professor, Widener University School of Law
1992-1997: Private practice, Delaware
1987-1992: Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Delaware
1985-1987: Private practice, Delaware
1984-1985: Law clerk, Hon. James Latchum, United States District Court for the District of Delaware^[1]

Judicial career

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Nomination Tracker

Nominee Information
Name: Kent A. Jordan
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 163 days after nomination.
Nominated: June 28, 2006
ABA Rating: Unanimously Well Qualified
Questionnaire:
Hearing: September 6, 2006
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)

Reported: September 26, 2006
Confirmed: December 8, 2006
Vote: 91-0

Jordan was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit by President George W. Bush (R) on June 28, 2006, to a seat vacated by Jane Roth. The American Bar Association rated Jordan Unanimously Well Qualified for the nomination.^[4] Hearings on Jordan's nomination were held before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 6, 2006, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) on September 26, 2006. Jordan was confirmed on a recorded 91-0 vote of the U.S. Senate on December 8, 2006, and he received his commission on December 13, 2006.^[1]^[5]

Jordan retired on January 15, 2025.^[3]

District of Delaware

Jordan was nominated to the United States District Court for the District of Delaware by President George W. Bush (R) on July 25, 2002, to a seat vacated by Roderick McKelvie. The American Bar Association rated Jordan Unanimously Well Qualified for the nomination.^[6] Hearings on Jordan's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 18, 2002, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on October 8, 2002. Jordan was confirmed on a voice vote of the United States Senate on November 14, 2002, and he received his commission the next day. He resigned from the district court on December 15, 2006, upon his elevation to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.^[1]^[7] Jordan was succeeded in this position by Judge Leonard Stark.

Noteworthy cases

Dismissal of suit over mandatory retirement age for PA judges affirmed (2014)

See also: United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit (Lerner, at al v. Corbett, et al, 13-4184)

On April 29, 2014, a three-judge panel of the Third Circuit composed of Judges Jordan, Thomas Ambro, and Senior Judge Jane Roth, upheld a decision rendered by Judge John E. Jones, III of the Middle District of Pennsylvania to dismiss a suit brought by group of Pennsylvania judges challenging the state's retirement age law.^[8]

In the underlying case, the plaintiff judges alleged that their forced retirement at the age of 70 was based on preconceived notions of senior citizens’ deteriorating cognitive abilities, relying heavily on the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Judge Jones found those arguments "unconvincing," further noting that the plaintiffs did not have a due process claim as they did not have a constitutionally protected property interest in continued judicial employment.^[8]

In an opinion written by Judge Ambro, the plaintiff judges' claims were again rebuked, with Ambro stating that their Fourteenth Amendment rights had not been violated. Judge Ambro further noted that the plaintiffs' claims that opinions reached in the United States v. Windsor and Shelby County v. Holder cases before the Supreme Court of the United States served as intervening authority failed as a matter of law, as controlling precedent already existed.^[8]