Cynthia M. Rufe is a District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She joined the court in 2002 after being nominated by President George W. Bush. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Rufe graduated from Adelphi University with her bachelor's degree in 1970 and later from University at Buffalo Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1977.
Following law school graduation, Rufe served as a public defender in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, spending much of her tenure there in the juvenile division. She became a deputy public defender in 1980. Soon thereafter, she left government service to practice privately. In 1994, she was elected as a judge of the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, where she served for eight years, until 2002.
On the recommendation of Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, Rufe was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by President George W. Bush on January 23, 2002, to a seat vacated by Norma Shapiro. Rufe was confirmed by the Senate on April 30, 2002, on a Senate vote and received her commission on May 3, 2002.
