Maryellen Noreika

Maryellen Noreika (born July 12, 1966) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.

Noreika earned her Bachelor of Science from Lehigh University, her Master of Arts in biology from Columbia University, and her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and served as a member of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review.

She began her legal career as an associate at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell in Wilmington, Delaware, upon graduation from law school in 1993.

During her 25 years at Morris Nichols, Noreika served as counsel in more than 500 cases, while specializing in patent law, and representing parties in cases involving biotechnology, chemistry, consumer products, computer science, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.

Noreika worked at Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell until she became a judge.

Before becoming a judge, she made campaign donations to both Republican and Democratic candidates, but mostly to Republicans.

On December 20, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Noreika to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, to the seat vacated by Judge Gregory M. Sleet, who assumed senior status on May 1, 2017.

Her nomination was part of a bipartisan package of nominees which included Colm Connolly.

On February 14, 2018, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee On March 15, 2018, her nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.

On August 1, 2018, her nomination was confirmed by a voice vote.

She received her judicial commission on August 9, 2018.

Maryellen Noreika has been considered a potential nominee for a federal judgeship in the Federal Circuit by President Joe Biden.

In 2023, Noreika presided over a case involving Hunter Biden laptop repairman John Paul Mac Isaac.

He sued CNN, Politico, Hunter Biden, the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign, and Adam Schiff over allegations they defamed him by claiming the laptop's content was Russian propaganda.

Noreika dismissed the part against Schiff, and sent the rest to Delaware Superior Court.

In 2023, Noreika was assigned to the criminal case against Hunter Biden.

In July, Biden was expecting to plead guilty to two tax misdemeanors and enter a diversion program on a gun charge.

Noreika declined to accept the deal, pending clarification of its terms by the parties.

Biden pleaded not guilty on the tax charges.