[1] As an assistant district attorney, Donnelly successfully prosecuted former Tyco International CEO L. Dennis Kozlowski for securities fraud and grand larceny, among other crimes.

[1] As a state court judge, Donnelly presided over the trial of Adam Tang, a day trader convicted of reckless endangerment and reckless driving for his illegal high-speed street racing around Manhattan (circling the island in 24 minutes) and posting videos of the stunt on YouTube.

After Tang fled the country during his trial, Donnelly issued a warrant for his arrest and sentenced him in absentia to a year in jail.

[8] On December 16, 2014, her nomination was returned to the President due to the sine die adjournment of the 113th Congress.

The ruling enjoined the federal government from deporting individuals who had arrived in the country with valid visas or refugee status.

[13][14] Several minutes after Donnelly entered her order, another judge, Leonie Brinkema of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from preventing the return of lawful permanent residents at Dulles International Airport.