Federal judicial service
On May 11,2011,President Barack Obama nominated Andrews to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Delaware,to fill the vacancy created when Judge Joseph James Farnan Jr. retired on July 31,2010. [2] On September 8,2011,the Senate Judiciary Committee reported his nomination to the Senate floor by voice vote. On November 3,2011,the Senate confirmed Andrews by unanimous consent. He received his commission on November 7,2011. He assumed senior status on December 31,2023. [2]
Notable Cases
In 2023,Judge Andrews presided over the receivership of the largest precious metals depository fraud in U.S. history. [3] The judge “reluctantly”distributed the significant assets remaining in the vault according to labels the proprietor had applied to open boxes of coins,overruling a more equitable plan proposed by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). [4] The judge’s plan caused variable distributions to victims—greater than 90% to some compared to less than 13% for others—which the judge noted was “simpler.” [4] The judge also ordered $146 million in restitution from the bankrupt depository owner and his liquidated business. [3]
The proprietor later was sentenced to 65 years in prison for falsifying records and commingling bullion as his personal “piggy bank.” [5] [6] Victims submitted impact statements describing hardship from losses of retirement,educational and life savings, [6] which Judge Andrews ordered distributed to other claimants In an inequitable manner. [4]
