David Austin Tapp (born 1962) is a

judge A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...

of the

United States Court of Federal Claims The United States Court of Federal Claims (in case citations, Fed. Cl. or C.F.C.) is a United States federal courts, United States federal court that hears monetary claims against the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government. It ...

and a former circuit court judge from Kentucky.

Education

Tapp received his

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

from

Morehead State University Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky, United States. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-yea ...

, his

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

from the

Chaminade University of Honolulu Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private Marianist university in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Founded in 1955 by the Society of Mary, Chaminade is located in Kaimuki, Honolulu at the base of St. Louis Heights. Chaminade offers bachel ...

, and his

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

from the

University of Louisville School of Law The University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, commonly referred to as The University of Louisville School of Law or the Brandeis School of Law, is the law school of the University of Louisville. Established in 1846, it is the ol ...

."President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, a United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees" White House, March 1, 2019

Campaign for Kentucky Supreme Court

In 2017, he announced that he would run in 2018 for Justice Daniel J. Venters' seat on the

Kentucky Supreme Court The Kentucky Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the U.S. state of Kentucky. Prior to its creation by constitutional amendment in 1975, the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky. The Kentucky Court of Ap ...

representing the 3rd Supreme Court district. Veters, whose term ended on January 6, 2019, announced in 2017 that he would not seek reelection. Tapp was defeated in the nonpartisan primary.

Federal judicial service

On March 1, 2019, President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

announced his intent to nominate Tapp to a seat on the

. On March 5, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Tapp to the seat vacated by Judge Lynn J. Bush, who assumed senior status on October 22, 2013. On May 22, 2019, a hearing on his nomination was held before the

Senate Judiciary Committee The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally known as the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a Standing committee (United States Congress), standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the United States Departm ...

. On June 20, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 18–4 vote. On November 5, 2019, the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

invoked

cloture Cloture (, ), closure or, informally, a guillotine, is a motion or process in parliamentary procedure aimed at bringing debate to a quick end. The cloture procedure originated in the French National Assembly, from which the name is taken. is ...

on his nomination by a 83–9 vote. He was confirmed later that day by a 85–8 vote. He received his judicial commission on November 19, 2019, and took the oath of office on November 22, 2019. In May 2024,

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

revealed that Tapp had received free travel in late 2021 to the Sage Lodge Colloquium, a privately funded legal seminar hosted at a resort in Montana's Paradise Valley, but had failed to disclose this on his annual financial disclosure form for that year, in violation of federal ethics law. In response, Tapp told NPR that he had "begun the process of preparing an amended report."

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tapp, David Austin 1962 births Living people 20th-century American lawyers 21st-century American lawyers Chaminade University of Honolulu alumni Circuit court judges in the United States Judges of the United States Court of Federal Claims Kentucky lawyers Kentucky state court judges Morehead State University alumni People from Lexington, Kentucky United States Article I federal judges appointed by Donald Trump University of Louisville School of Law alumni