Meet Judge Michael Nachmanoff, a judge tasked with overseeing former FBI Director James Comey’s criminal case. Nachmanoff was randomly assigned to the case on Thursday evening and will preside over it in Alexandria, Virginia. He is the newest judge in the federal court where Comey was charged.
Nachmanoff has had some experience with Trump world before. As a federal magistrate judge, he presided over the arraignment of two associates of Rudy Giuliani – Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman – who were charged with campaign finance violations. He also permitted the CIA to fire a doctor who had been targeted by Trump’s allies for her role in advocating for mandatory Covid vaccines.
Nachmanoff was appointed to the federal bench on a 52-46 Senate vote, winning the support of just three Republican lawmakers. Before his stint as a magistrate judge, he spent over a decade as a federal criminal defender, representing high-profile clients such as Al Qaeda operative Zacarias Moussaoui and Somali pirates.
Nachmanoff has argued cases before the Supreme Court, including one in which he advocated for judges to have flexibility to impose lower sentences in certain cases. The justices agreed, ruling 7-2 in his favor.
Nachmanoff is now tasked with presiding over a high-profile case involving former FBI Director James Comey. His experience and background may influence how he approaches the case.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/25/james-comey-criminal-case-judge-michael-nachmanoff-00581794