2019 – present 

Federal Judicial Service: 

• Judge, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York 
• Nominated by President Donald J. Trump on May 15, 2018, and renominated on May 21, 2019, to a seat vacated by Hon. William M. Skretny.  Confirmed by the Senate on December 4, 2019, and received commission on December 5, 2019. 

Education: 

• State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, J.D., 1996 
• State University of New York at Buffalo, B.A., 1993 

Professional Career: 

• Hodgson Russ, LLP, Buffalo, New York, 2008-2019 
• Senior Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2007-2008 
• Jones Day, Cleveland, Ohio, 1998-2007 
• Law Clerk, New York Court of Appeals, 1996-1998 

Noteworthy Cases: 

Chistian v. Nigrelli, No. 1:22-CV-00695; Spencer v. Nigrelli, No. 6:22-CV-06486: 

After the Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, New York State enacted a statute that, among other things, imposed various restrictions on firearm possession.  Several challenges to that legislation were filed throughout the state, including in the Western District of New York. 

In one such case, Judge Sinatra granted the plaintiff a preliminary injunction that enjoined defendants from enforcing a provision of the statute making it a felony for a licensed holder to possess a firearm on all private property absent express consent.  Christian v. Nigrelli, 642 F. Supp. 3d 393 (W.D.N.Y. 2022).  In particular, Judge Sinatra found that the plaintiff was likely to succeed on his claim that the provision, which prevented him from carrying his firearm onto private property open to the public, violated his Second Amendment rights. 

In another case, Judge Sinatra granted the plaintiff a preliminary injunction that enjoined a different provision of the statute – one that made it a felony for a licensed holder to possess a firearm at any place of worship or religious observation.  Spencer v. Nigrelli, 648 F. Supp. 3d 451 (W.D.N.Y. 2022).  Here, Judge Sinatra found that the plaintiff was likely to succeed on his claim that this provision violated his First Amendment rights under the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause and on his claim that the provision violated his Second Amendment rights. 

The Second Circuit addressed the defendants’ appeals of the preliminary injunctions in Christian and Nigrelli, along with a case from the Northern District of New York that resulted in a preliminary injunction based on the same state statute.  Antonyuk v. Chiumento, 89 F.4th 271 (2d Cir. 2023).  The Second Circuit affirmed the preliminary injunction on Second Amendment grounds in Christian.  As to the preliminary injunction in Spencer, the Second Circuit affirmed on the basis of the Free Exercise Clause and did not reach the other issues presented. 

Christian v. Nigrelli, 642 F. Supp. 3d 393 (W.D.N.Y. 2022); Spencer v. Nigrelli, 648 F. Supp. 3d 451 (W.D.N.Y. 2022)
https://casetext.com/case/christian-v-nigrelli
https://casetext.com/case/spencer-v-nigrelli 

 

---

 

Hund v. Cuomo, et al., No. 1:20-CV-01176: 

Judge Sinatra granted a preliminary injunction that enjoined a New York State COVID-19-related restriction that allowed establishments licensed by the New York State Liquor Authority to provide live music that is incidental to the dining experience but disallowed advertised, ticketed live music.  On appeal, the Second Circuit remanded the case for the district court to consider the preliminary injunction anew, in light of changed circumstances – namely, updated guidance that arguably repealed the enjoined restriction.  After remand, the district court acknowledged the parties’ stipulation of dismissal and granted their joint request to vacate the preliminary injunction with respect to the defendants. 

Hund v. Cuomo, 501 F. Supp. 3d 185 (W.D.N.Y. 2020), remanded sub nom, Hund v. Bradley, 845 F. App’x 78 (2d Cir. 2021)
https://casetext.com/case/hund-v-cuomo