Adalberto Jose Jordan

Adalberto Jose Jordan (born December 7, 1961) is an active United States circuit judge on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed in February 2012, he has served on the appellate bench for more than a decade. In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Jordan holds adjunct professorships at both the University of Miami School of Law—his alma mater—and Florida International University College of Law. His career spans private practice, federal prosecution, and service on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Early life and legal career

Adalberto Jordan was born in Havana, Cuba, and emigrated with his family to Miami, Florida, in 1968 while still a child. He completed secondary education at St. Brendan High School, graduating in 1980. Pursuing higher education locally, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in politics from the University of Miami in 1984, graduating magna cum laude. During his undergraduate years he participated as a walk‑on member of the university’s baseball team.

Jordan continued at the University of Miami School of Law, where he distinguished himself academically by graduating summa cum laude in 7 87 and serving as Articles & Comments Editor of the law review. He finished second in his class, reflecting a strong scholarly record.

Following law school, Jordan entered federal clerkships that provided early exposure to appellate and Supreme Court practice. From 1987 to 1988 he served as a law clerk for Judge Thomas Alonzo Clark of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia. The subsequent year he clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court, gaining insight into the nation’s highest judicial forum.

In 1989 Jordan returned to Miami and joined the firm Steel Hector & Davis as an associate. Within five years he attained partnership status, focusing his practice on appellate litigation and commercial matters. His tenure at the firm was relatively brief; after becoming a partner he transitioned to public service by accepting appointment as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida in 1994. He advanced to become Chief of the Appellate Division in 1998, overseeing the office’s appellate work for approximately one year.

Parallel to his prosecutorial responsibilities, Jordan began a long‑standing relationship with legal academia. Since 1990 he has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, teaching courses that draw on his extensive courtroom and appellate experience. He later added an adjunct appointment at Florida International University College of Law, further contributing to the education of future attorneys.

Jordan’s federal judicial career commenced with a nomination by President Bill Clinton in March 1999 to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida created by Judge Lenore Carrero Nesbitt. The Senate confirmed his appointment on September 8, 1999, by a vote of 93–1, and he received his commission the following day. He served as a district judge until February 24, 2012, when he was elevated to the appellate bench.

Federal appellate service

The Eleventh Circuit vacancy that would bring Judge Jordan to the appellate level arose in early 2011 when Judge Susan H. Black assumed senior status. In May of that year, reports indicated that federal investigators were conducting a background review as part of the nomination process. President Barack Obama formally nominated Jordan on August 2, 2011.

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination by voice vote on October 13, 2011. Subsequent debate in the full Senate was marked by a brief filibuster; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid invoked cloture on February 9, 2012, limiting further discussion. The Senate subsequently voted to invoke cloture 89–5 and confirmed Jordan’s appointment on February 15, 2012, with a vote of 94–5. He received his commission two days later, on February 17, 2012, and has served continuously as an active circuit judge since that time.

During his tenure on the Eleventh Circuit, Judge Jordan has participated in numerous panels addressing a wide range of federal legal issues, including civil rights, criminal law, and administrative matters. His contributions reflect both his appellate background from earlier clerkships and his practical experience as a former prosecutor and district court judge.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Judge Jordan’s judicial record includes involvement in high‑profile cases that have attracted public attention. Notably, he authored a dissenting opinion in the 2020 voting‑rights case *Jones et al. v. DeSantis*. The en banc Eleventh Circuit upheld a Florida statute requiring former felons to pay all legal fees before regaining the right to vote—a requirement challenged as an unconstitutional poll tax and violation of equal protection principles. While the majority concluded that the law did not infringe upon constitutional protections, Judge Jordan’s dissent emphasized the financial burden imposed on indigent individuals, noting that a substantial proportion of Florida’s former felons lack sufficient resources to satisfy the fee requirements without sacrificing basic necessities.

Beyond his courtroom work, Judge Jordan has been recognized as a potential candidate for elevation to the United States Supreme Court. In February 2016, *The New York Times* listed him among several individuals considered by President Obama for the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia. Shortly thereafter, he withdrew from consideration, and no further nomination was made.

Judge Jordan’s ongoing engagement with legal education underscores his commitment to shaping future generations of lawyers. His long‑standing adjunct roles at both the University of Miami and Florida International University enable him to share practical insights drawn from decades of service across multiple branches of the federal judiciary.

On a personal note, Judge Jordan is married to Lazara Esther Jordan (née Castillo), who teaches at St. Brendan Catholic High School—an institution they both attended as students. Their shared connection to Miami’s educational community reflects broader ties to the region where he has lived and worked for most of his professional life.

Through a career that traverses private practice, federal prosecution, district‑court adjudication, and appellate jurisprudence, Judge Adalberto J. Jordan exemplifies the multifaceted pathways through which legal professionals contribute to the United States judicial system. His decisions, scholarly activities, and public service continue to influence the development of federal law within the Eleventh Circuit and beyond.