Federal district Judge Maryellen Noreika, a Donald Trump appointee, is currently overseeing the gun case involving Hunter Biden in Delaware. Noreika was confirmed by the US Senate in August 2018 with the support of both Democratic senators from Delaware, following the Senate's blue slip tradition.
Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat, praised Noreika for her nomination, highlighting her as a seasoned attorney with impressive trial skills and a deep understanding of federal practice.
Prior to her appointment as a federal judge, Noreika worked as a patent lawyer in Wilmington, Delaware. She hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1993.
Noreika's political contributions have been bipartisan, as evidenced by her donations to both Democratic and Republican candidates. She supported then-New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign for the Democratic nomination and later contributed to then-Arizona Sen. John McCain's 2008 Republican presidential campaign. She also donated to Mitt Romney's presidential bid in 2012 and financially backed Sen. Tom Cotton, a conservative Republican from Arkansas, during his 2014 senate race. Additionally, Noreika contributed to the DSCC, the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, in 2009.
