Hon. Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
2013 – present
Federal Judicial Service:
- Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
- Nominated by President Barack Obama on May 14, 2012, to a seat vacated by Hon. David G. Larimer. Confirmed by the Senate on December 13, 2012, and received commission on January 2, 2013. Served as Chief Judge, 2015-2021. Assumed senior status on April 1, 2023.
Education:
- University of Dayton Law School, J.D., 1977
- University of Dayton, B.A., 1973
Professional Career:
- Monroe County Court Judge, Rochester, New York, 1999-2012
- City Court Judge, Rochester, New York, 1992-1998
- Private Practice, Geraci & Feldman, Rochester, New York, 1987-1992
- Assistant U.S. Attorney, Western District of New York, 1983-1987
- Special Assistant District Attorney, Monroe County, New York, 1978-1983
Noteworthy Cases:
United States v. James Kendrick, et al., No. 6:10-CR-06096:
In this multi-defendant, decades-long drug conspiracy, it was alleged that defendant James Kendrick, with the help of others, operated a continuing criminal enterprise that peddled cocaine, cocaine base, heroin, and marijuana in the Rochester area. Kendrick was implicated in the deaths of four individuals. One was an acquaintance who was beaten, stabbed, and buried alive on an Indian reservation after allegedly stealing from the enterprise. Another was beaten to death and dismembered – his remains scattered throughout Rochester – after the conspirators became fearful he might talk to police. Kendrick was convicted and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment plus thirty years, which was affirmed on appeal, and his collateral challenges were subsequently rejected.
Kendrick v. United States, 2023 WL 3878327 (W.D.N.Y. 2023), appeal dismissed, No. 23-6748, ECF No. 38 (2d Cir. 2024)
https://casetext.com/case/kendrick-v-united-states-30
Emilee Carpenter, LLC, et al. v. James, et al., No. 6:21-CV-06303:
Plaintiff Emilee Carpenter, a professional wedding photographer, brought this civil rights action, alleging that New York’s public-accommodation laws violated her First Amendment rights insofar as they compelled her to provide services for same-sex weddings. In dismissing her First Amendment and due-process challenges, Judge Geraci emphasized the principle of inherent equality on which the United States was founded, and the historical process by which that principle has been extended to previously underserved, disfavored, or disadvantaged classes of persons. Access to the public marketplace is one arena in which that process has unfolded. By ensuring equal access to public goods and services, public accommodation laws ensure that private discrimination in the marketplace cannot be used to “perpetuate a caste system in the United States,” as Justice Goldberg wrote. Plaintiff’s theory, which would have had the effect of relegating same-sex couples to an inferior market whenever the goods or services were expressive, was rejected.
Emilee Carpenter, LLC v. James, 575 F. Supp. 3d 353 (W.D.N.Y. 2021)
https://casetext.com/case/emilee-carpenter-llc-v-james
United States v. Carlos Javier Figueroa, et al., No. 6:18-CR-06094:
Carlos Javier Figueroa was alleged to be the leader of a drug-trafficking organization based in Rochester. The organization coordinated the shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Rochester via the postal service and was responsible for multiple acts of violence, including three murders. Figueroa was convicted and sentenced after jury trial to a term of life imprisonment plus 25 years.
Panarra v. HTC Corp., No. 6:20-CV-06991:
A deaf individual brought suit against a virtual-reality subscription service, alleging that its failure to provide closed captioning for its service violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. In a reported decision, Judge Geraci concluded that the ADA applied to the service, notwithstanding its lack of a physical storefront.
Panarra v. HTC Corp., 598 F. Supp. 3d 73 (W.D.N.Y. 2022)
https://casetext.com/case/panarra-v-htc-corp-1
