Margaret M. Sweeney

Judge Sweeney was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims by President George W. Bush on October 24, 2005, and entered duty on December 14, 2005. President Donald J. Trump designated her as Chief Judge on July 12, 2018. She graduated from Notre Dame of Maryland, receiving a B.A. degree in history in 1977, and from Delaware Law School, receiving a J.D. degree in 1981.

Judge Sweeney formerly was a Special Master for the United States Court of Federal Claims (2003 – 2005). Prior to that appointment, Judge Sweeney served as an Attorney Advisor for the United States Department of Justice Office of Intelligence Policy and Review (1999 – 2003). In that position, she prepared applications and motions on behalf of various United States intelligence agencies for presentation to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Prior to joining the Office of Intelligence Policy and Review, Judge Sweeney served as a Trial Attorney in the General Litigation Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the United States Department of Justice (1987 – 1999). From 1985 to 1987, she served as law clerk to the Honorable Loren A. Smith, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims. Judge Sweeney was a litigation associate from 1983 to 1985, with the firm of Fedorko, Gilbert, & Lanctot, Morrisville, Pennsylvania, handling civil and criminal cases, including commercial litigation, personal injury, domestic relations, real property and estates. Judge Sweeney also served as a Delaware Family Court Master presiding over cases involving domestic relations matters (1981 – 1983).

Judge Sweeney is a member of the bars of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In 1999, she served as President of the United States Court of Federal Claims Bar Association.

Judge Sweeney and her family reside in the Washington metropolitan area.