PRESS RELEASE

November 22, 2023

Judge Saris Senior Status

United States District Court Judge Patti B. Saris has advised President Biden that she intends to retire from regular active service as a United States District Court Judge upon the appointment of her successor. She also advised the President that she intends to continue to serve as a senior judge.

Judge Saris was appointed to the court on November 24, 1993, and served as Chief Judge from 2013 to 2019. She served as Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission in Washington D.C. from 2011 to 2017 and on the Judicial Conference Committee on Devender Services from 2002-2005. After graduating from law school, she clerked for the Supreme Judicial Court, and then went into private practice. In 1979, she worked as staff counsel for Senator Edward M. Kennedy in his work as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She returned to private practice in 1981. In 1982 she later became an Assistant United States Attorney, and eventually chief of the Civil Division. In 1986, Judge Saris became a United States Magistrate Judge, and in 1989, she was appointed as an Associate Justice of the
Massachusetts Superior Court. She is a graduate of Radcliffe College ‘73 (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) and Harvard Law School ‘76 (Cum Laude).

Judge Saris has taught as a lecturer at Harvard Law School for the past five years. She served
six years on Harvard’s Board of Overseers and chaired the board in 2006. She was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. She has received numerous awards throughout her career including the Morton A Brody Distinguished Judicial Service Award and the Harvard Medal of Honor. She is an active member of the Federal Judges Association. Each summer, Judge Saris hosts high school students from the Boston area through two fellowships supported by the court. She speaks frequently regarding the judicial system and Criminal Justice. She has co-authored two books related to her work and several articles.

Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV said: “Judge Saris’s contributions to this court and to the federal courts generally are immeasurable. She has been a thoughtful, intelligent, and highly respected trial judge; a national leader on a host of issues, particularly criminal sentencing; a dedicated teacher and mentor; a forceful and effective leader of the court; and a wise and beloved colleague and counselor. All of us have been touched by her infectious enthusiasm, friendship, and good cheer. In addition, her prodigious energy is legendary. For several years, she effectively held three full-time jobs: she was both Chief Judge of the United States District Court and Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, while continuing to carry a heavy caseload as a District Judge – and all while continuing to perform public service in a variety of other ways. Her legacy as a judge, teacher, and public servant will be felt throughout the legal community for generations.”

Judge Saris’s family includes her husband Arthur Segel, their four children and 11 grandchildren.

To view the full announcement, please visit the link below:

https://www.mad.uscourts.gov/general/pdf/announce/11222023%20Press%20Release%20-%20Judge%20Saris%20senior%20status.pdf