Federal judicial service
On August 28,2024,President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Desai to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. [2] Desai's nomination was endorsed by Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly. [4] On September 9,2024,his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Desai to the seat vacated by Judge G. Murray Snow,who subsequently assumed senior status on October 21,2024. [5] On September 25,2024,a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. [6] On November 14,2024,his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote,with Senators Chuck Grassley,Mike Lee,Ted Cruz,Josh Hawley,Tom Cotton,John Kennedy,and Marsha Blackburn voting no. [7] On November 21,2024,the United States Senate confirmed his nomination by a 82–12 vote. [8] He received his judicial commission on January 7,2025. [9] He is the second South Asian federal judge in Arizona,after his older sister,Judge Roopali Desai,who was confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2022. [3]
