Elaine D. Kaplan

{{Infobox judge

| name = Elaine Kaplan

| image = Elaine D. Kaplan.jpg

| office = Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims

| appointer = Joe Biden

| term_start = March 2, 2021

| term_end = April 10, 2025

| predecessor = Eleni M. Roumel

| successor = Matthew H. Solomson

| office1 = Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims

| appointer1 = Barack Obama

| term_start1 = November 6, 2013

| term_end1 =

| predecessor1 = Christine Odell Cook Miller

| successor1 =

| office2 = Director of the Office of Personnel Management
{{small|Acting}}

| president2 = Barack Obama

| term_start2 = April 13, 2013

| term_end2 = November 4, 2013

| predecessor2 = John Berry

| successor2 = Katherine Archuleta

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|12|18}}

| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| education = Binghamton University (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)

}}

Elaine Debra Kaplan (born December 18, 1955) is a judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims.{{Cite web |title=Elaine D. Kaplan {{!}} US Court of Federal Claims |url=http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/elaine-d-kaplan |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=www.uscfc.uscourts.gov |archive-date=2022-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514014953/http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/elaine-d-kaplan |url-status=live }} She served as General Counsel of the United States Office of Personnel Management from 2009 to 2013, and as acting director of the office in 2013.

Early life and career

Kaplan was born in 1955 in Brooklyn, New York.{{FJC Bio|nid=6986|inline=yes}} She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976 from Binghamton University. She received a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1979, from the Georgetown University Law Center.

She began her career as a staff attorney in the Solicitor's Office of the United States Department of Labor. From 1984–98, she worked for the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), with increasing levels of responsibility. In 1998, she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate to serve as the head of the United States Office of Special Counsel and served five years in that position.{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/03/20/gay-news-obama-nominates-lesbian-attorney-for-judgeship/|title=Obama nominates lesbian attorney for judgeship|author=Lou Chibbaro Jr.|publisher=Washington Blade|date=March 20, 2013|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=September 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923055020/http://www.washingtonblade.com/2013/03/20/gay-news-obama-nominates-lesbian-attorney-for-judgeship/|url-status=live}}

From 2003 to 2004, she served as of counsel at the law firm of Bernabei and Katz. From 2004–09, she served as Senior Deputy General Counsel at the NTEU. From 2009–13, she was the General Counsel of the United States Office of Personnel Management.{{cite web |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/19/president-obama-nominates-two-serve-us-court-federal-claims |title=President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims |date=2013-03-19 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |access-date=2017-04-01 |archive-date=2018-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126112239/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/03/19/president-obama-nominates-two-serve-us-court-federal-claims |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/113thCongressJudicialNominations/upload/Kaplan-Senate-Questionnaire-Final.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003003/http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/113thCongressJudicialNominations/upload/Kaplan-Senate-Questionnaire-Final.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-04 }} Kaplan took the office of Acting Director in April 2013, after Director John Berry's four-year term expired.{{cite web|url=http://fourtwonine.com/2013/09/18/3046-elaine-d-kaplan-becomes-second-openly-gay-judge-elected-to-federal-claims-court/|title=Elaine D. Kaplan becomes second openly gay judge elected to Federal Claims Court|author=Chris Huqueriza|publisher=FourTwoNine|date=September 18, 2013|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=October 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007040102/http://fourtwonine.com/2013/09/18/3046-elaine-d-kaplan-becomes-second-openly-gay-judge-elected-to-federal-claims-court/|url-status=live}}

=Claims court service=

On March 19, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Kaplan to serve as a Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims, to the seat vacated by Judge Christine Odell Cook Miller.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on her nomination on May 8, 2013, and reported her nomination to the floor by voice vote on June 6, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://judiciary.senate.gov/|title=Home | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|website=Judiciary.senate.gov|date=2017-03-27|access-date=2017-04-01|archive-date=2019-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112202610/https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/|url-status=live}} Her nomination was confirmed on September 17, 2013 by a 64–35 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00202 |title=On the Nomination (Confirmation Elaine D. Kaplan, of the District of Columbia, to be a Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims)|date=2013-09-17|access-date=2017-04-01}} She took the oath of office from Chief Judge Patricia E. Campbell-Smith on November 6, 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/elaine-d-kaplan-took-oath-office-november-6-2013-judge-united-states-court-federal-claims |title=Elaine D. Kaplan took the oath of office on November 6, 2013, as Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims. | US Court of Federal Claims |access-date=2013-11-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131107004942/http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/elaine-d-kaplan-took-oath-office-november-6-2013-judge-united-states-court-federal-claims |archive-date=2013-11-07 }} On March 2, 2021, President Joe Biden designated Kaplan as Chief Judge.{{Cite web |date=March 2, 2021 |title=President Biden designates Elaine D. Kaplan as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Federal Claims |url=http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/3267 |access-date=March 3, 2021 |website=www.uscfc.uscourts.gov |archive-date=October 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009053219/https://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/3267 |url-status=live }}

Personal life

Kaplan is open about her lesbian identity.{{cite web |url=http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/president-obama-nominates-open-lesbian-to-serve-on-u.s.-court-of-federal-cl/ |title=President Obama Nominates Open Lesbian to Serve on U.S. Court of Federal Claims | Human Rights Campaign |website=Hrc.org |date=2013-03-20 |access-date=2017-04-01 |archive-date=2015-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926002759/http://www.hrc.org/blog/entry/president-obama-nominates-open-lesbian-to-serve-on-u.s.-court-of-federal-cl/ |url-status=dead }}