▁until ▁her ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁They ▁have ▁three ▁children ▁together , ▁Robert ▁Jr ., ▁Christ ine ▁and ▁Jean ne - M iche le . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁▁ ▁Out ▁of ▁law ▁school , ▁Mar iani ▁worked ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁( from ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁until ▁ 1 9 7 9 ) ▁at ▁a ▁now - d iss ol ved , ▁Sc r anton ▁law ▁firm . ▁He ▁then ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁partner ▁at ▁a ▁Sc r anton ▁law ▁firm ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁until ▁his ▁confirm ation , ▁Mar iani ▁was ▁a ▁lawyer ▁in ▁sole ▁private ▁practice ▁in ▁Sc r anton , ▁special izing ▁in ▁labor ▁and ▁employ ment ▁law . ▁ ▁Federal ▁jud icial ▁service ▁▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁President ▁Ob ama ▁nominated ▁Mar iani ▁to ▁a ▁vac ant ▁jud icial ▁seat ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁District ▁Court ▁for ▁the ▁Middle ▁District ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁that ▁previously ▁had ▁been ▁held ▁by ▁Judge ▁James ▁Martin ▁Mun ley , ▁who ▁took ▁senior ▁status ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁( J ud ge ▁Mun ley ▁died ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 0 .) ▁Mar iani ▁never ▁received ▁a ▁Jud ici ary ▁Committee ▁hearing ▁before ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁and ▁his ▁nom ination ▁la ps ed ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁Ob ama ▁ren omin ated ▁Mar