Meredith Vacca could become first Asian-American federal judge in state’s Western District

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Judge Meredith Vacca could soon be the first Asian-American and the first woman of color to act as federal judge in the New York State Western District.

She was nominated by President Biden on Wednesday but she’ll need to be approved by the U.S. Senate.

Vacca, raised in Rochester, has been in the legal field for nearly 20 years. If she gets the role, half the judges will be female on a formerly-all-male bench.