Thomas Tullidge Cullen (born 1977) is a United States district judge of the

United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in case citations, W.D. Va.) is a United States district court. Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth ...

. He was formerly United States Attorney for the same district.

Education and legal career

Cullen received his Bachelor of Arts from

Furman University Furman University is a private liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded in 1826 and named for the clergyman Richard Furman, Furman University is the oldest private institution of higher learning in South Carolina. It became ...

cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

'' in 2000 and his

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...

from the William & Mary School of Law in 2004, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. He was a

law clerk A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person, generally someone who provides direct counsel and assistance to a lawyer or judge by researching issues and drafting legal opinions for cases before the court. Judicial clerks often play significant ...

to Judge

Robert E. Payne Robert E. Payne (born 1941) is an American attorney and jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Early life and education Born in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, ...

of the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (in case citations, E.D. Va.) is one of two United States district courts serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has jurisdiction over the Northern Virginia, Hampton Roa ...

(2004-05) and to Judge Roger Gregory of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2005-06). Cullen served as an

assistant United States attorney An assistant United States attorney (AUSA) is an official career civil service position in the U.S. Department of Justice composed of lawyers working under the U.S. Attorney of each U.S. federal judicial district. They represent the federal gove ...

for the

Western District of North Carolina The United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (in case citations, W.D.N.C.) is a federal district court which covers the western third of North Carolina. Appeals from the Western District of North Carolina are ta ...

from 2006 to 2010 and for the

Western District of Virginia The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in case citations, W.D. Va.) is a United States district court. Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Four ...

from 2010 to 2013, where he was Deputy Criminal Chief. Before becoming U.S. Attorney, he was a Principal/Partner at Woods Rogers PLC in Roanoke, Virginia, from 2013 to 2018, representing clients in complex civil and criminal litigation.

U.S. attorney

Cullen was recommended as a candidate for United States Attorney by Virginia Senators

Mark Warner Mark Robert Warner (born December 15, 1954) is an American businessman and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Virginia, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Warner served as the 69th governo ...

and Tim Kaine. On March 22, 2018, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote. He was confirmed by voice vote later the same day. He was sworn in on March 30, 2018. His tenure as U.S. Attorney ended on September 15, 2020, when he became a district judge.

Federal judicial service

On December 18, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Cullen to serve as a United States district judge of the

."President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominees" White House, December 18, 2019
On February 4, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Cullen to the seat vacated by Judge

Glen E. Conrad Glen Edward Conrad (June 29, 1949 – May 20, 2021) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia and a former federal judicial nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the F ...

, who assumed senior status on December 11, 2017. On March 4, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On May 14, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 17–5 vote. On September 9, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 77–18 vote. On September 10, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 79–19 vote. He received his judicial commission on September 15, 2020.

Personal life

His father is former Attorney General of Virginia Richard Cullen.

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Thomas Tullidge 1977 births Living people 21st-century American lawyers 21st-century American judges Assistant United States Attorneys Furman University alumni Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia People from Richmond, Virginia Trump administration personnel United States Attorneys for the Western District of Virginia United States district court judges appointed by Donald Trump Virginia lawyers Virginia Republicans William & Mary Law School alumni