- About Us
- Issues
- Scorecards
Get Informed
- Join
- Learn
- Take Action
Get Involved
- Contact
- Foundation
- Privacy Policy
Resources
Contact FreedomWorks
111 K Street NE
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20002
- Toll Free 1.888.564.6273
- Local 202.783.3870
Judicial Reform Fourth Circuit Judges
WATCH NOWThe Battle for Senate Heats Up in Georgia | Inside the Story
Judges for the United States Court of Appeals: 4th Circuit
William Byrd Traxler Jr. Chief Judge
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina Nominated by George H.W. Bush on November 14, 1991, to a seat vacated by Clyde H. Hamilton. Confirmed by the Senate on February 27, 1992, and received commission on March 2, 1992. Service terminated on October 21, 1998, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated on July 10, 1998, to a seat vacated by Donald Stuart Russell. Confirmed by the Senate on September 28, 1998, and received commission on October 1, 1998. Served as chief judge, 2009-present.
Education: Davidson College, B.A., 1970; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: U.S. Army Reserve adjutant general, 1970-1978; Private practice, Greenville, South Carolina, 1973-1974; Office of the Solicitor, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Greenville County, South Carolina, 1975-1985; assistant solicitor, 1975-1978; deputy solicitor, 1978-1981; solicitor, 1981-1985; Resident judge, South Carolina Circuit Court, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, 1985-1992
Albert Diaz
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on November 4, 2009, to a seat vacated by William W. Wilkins. Confirmed by the Senate on December 18, 2010, and received commission on December 22, 2010.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School, B.S., 1983; New York University School of Law, J.D., 1988; Boston University, M.S., 1993
Professional Career: Prosecutor, defense counsel, and chief review officer, Legal Services Support Section, U.S. Marine Corps, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 1988-1991; Office of the Judge Advocate General, U.S. Navy, Washington, D.C., 1991-2000; appellate government counsel, 1991-1995; reserve appellate defense counsel, 1995-2000; Private practice, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1995-2001; Reserve military judge, U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, 2000- 2005; Judge, North Carolina Superior Court, 2001-2005; Reserve appellate military judge, U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, 2005-2006; Special judge, North Carolina Business Court, 2005-2010
Allyson Kay Duncan
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on April 28, 2003, to a seat vacated by Samuel J. Ervin III. Confirmed by the Senate on July 17, 2003, and received commission on August 15, 2003.
Education: Hampton University, B.A., 1972; Duke University School of Law, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Associate editor, Lawyers Co-Operative Publishing Company, 1976-1977; Law clerk, Hon. Julia Cooper Mack, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, 1977-1978; Attorney, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1978-1986; Associate professor, North Carolina Central University School of Law, 1986-1990; Associate judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 1990; Commissioner, North Carolina Utilities Commission, 1991-1998; Private practice, Raleigh, North Carolina, 1998-2003
Barbara Milano Keenan
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on September 14, 2009, to a seat vacated by H. Emory Widener, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on March 2, 2010, and received commission on March 9, 2010.
Education: Cornell University, B.A., 1971; George Washington University Law School, J.D., 1974; University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1992
Professional Career: Assistant commonweath attorney, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1974-1976; Commissioner in chancery, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1975-1980; Private practice, Fairfax, Virginia, 1976-1980; Member, Board of Zoning Appeals, Fairfax County, Virginia, 1978-1980; Judge, Fairfax [Virginia] General District Court, 1980-1982; Judge, Virginia Circuit Court, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, 1982-1985; Judge, Court of Appeals of Virginia, 1985-1991; Justice, Supreme Court of Virginia, 1991-2010
Dennis W. Shedd
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina. Nominated by George H.W. Bush on October 17, 1990, to a seat vacated by Karen LeCraft Henderson. Confirmed by the Senate on October 27, 1990, and received commission on October 30, 1990. Service terminated on December 10, 2002, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on September 4, 2001, to a seat vacated by Clyde H. Hamilton. Confirmed by the Senate on November 19, 2002, and received commission on November 26, 2002.
Education: Wofford College, B.A., 1975; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1978; Georgetown University Law Center, LL.M., 1980
Professional Career: Staff, U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, South Carolina, 1978-1988; administrative assistant, 1982-1984; Chief counsel and staff director, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, 1985-1986; Private practice, Columbia, South Carolina, 1988-1991; Adjunct professor, University of South Carolina School of Law, 1989-1992
Diana Jane Gribbon Motz
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on January 27, 1994, to a new seat authorized by 104 Stat. 5089. Confirmed by the Senate on June 15, 1994, and received commission on June 16, 1994.
Education: Vassar College, B.A., 1965; University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1968
Professional Career: Private practice, Baltimore, Maryland, 1968-1971, 1986-1991; Assistant attorney general, State of Maryland, 1972-1986; chief of litigation, 1982-1986; Associate judge, Maryland Court of Special Appeals, 1991-1994
G. Steven Agee
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on March 13, 2008, to a seat vacated by J. Michael Luttig. Confirmed by the Senate on May 20, 2008, and received commission on July 1, 2008.
Education: Bridgewater College, B.A., 1974; University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1977; New York University School of Law, LL.M., 1978
Professional Career: U.S. Army Reserve, 1986-1997; Private practice, Roanoke, Virginia, 1977-2000; State delegate, Virginia, 1982-1994; Judge, Court of Appeals of Virginia, 2001-2003; Justice, Supreme Court of Virginia, 2003-2008
Henry Franklin Floyd
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of South Carolina. Nominated by George W. Bush on May 15, 2003, to a seat vacated by Dennis W. Shedd. Confirmed by the Senate on September 22, 2003, and received commission on September 24, 2003. Service terminated on October 6, 2011, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on January 26, 2011, to a seat vacated by Karen J. Williams. Confirmed by the Senate on October 3, 2011, and received commission on October 5, 2011.
Education: Wofford College, B.A., 1970; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: State representative, South Carolina, 1972-1978; Private practice, Pickens, South Carolina, 1973-1992; County attorney, Pickens County, South Carolina, 1986-1992; Judge, South Carolina Circuit Court, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, 1992-2003
James Andrew Wynn Jr.
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on November 4, 2009, to a seat vacated by James Dickson Phillips, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on August 5, 2010, and received commission on August 10, 2010.
Education: University of North Carolina, B.A., 1975; Marquette University Law School, J.D., 1979; University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1995
Professional Career: U.S. Navy captain, JAG Corps, 1979-1983; U.S. Naval Reserve captain, JAG Corps, 1983-2009; Assistant appellate defender, State of North Carolina, 1983-1984; Private practice, Wilson and Greenville, North Carolina, 1984-1990; Associate judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals, 1990-1998, 1999-2010; Associate justice, Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1998
James Harvie Wilkinson III
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Nominated on January 30, 1984, to a seat vacated by John Decker Butzner, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on August 9, 1984, and received commission on August 13, 1984. Served as chief judge, 1996-2003.
Education: Yale University, B.A., 1967; University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 1972
Professional Career: U.S. Army, 1968-1969; Republican candidate for U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, 1970; Law clerk, Hon. Lewis F. Powell, Supreme Court of the United States, 1972-1973; Faculty, University of Virginia School of Law, 1973-1978, 1983; associate professor, 1973-1978; professor, 1983; Editorial page editor, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 1978-1981; Deputy assistant attorney general, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1982-1983
Pamela Harris
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated by Barack Obama on May 8, 2014, to a seat vacated by Andre Maurice Davis. Confirmed by the Senate on July 28, 2014, and received commission on July 29, 2014.
Education: Yale College, B.A., 1985 Yale Law School, J.D., 1990
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Harry T. Edwards, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1990-1991 Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1991-1992, 1999-2009 Law clerk, Hon. John Paul Stevens, Supreme Court of the United States, 1992-1993 Attorney-advisor, Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, 1993-1996 Associate professor, University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1996-1999 Visiting professor, Georgetown University Law Center, 2007-2010, 2012-2014; executive director, Supreme Court Institute, 2009-2010 Principal deputy assistant attorney general, Office of Legal Policy, U.S. Department of Justice, 2010-2012
Paul Victor Niemeyer
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland Nominated by Ronald Reagan on September 11, 1987, to a seat vacated by Frank A. Kaufman. Confirmed by the Senate on February 19, 1988, and received commission on February 22, 1988. Service terminated on August 10, 1990, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated on May 11, 1990, to a seat vacated by Harrison Lee Winter. Confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 1990, and received commission on August 7, 1990.
Education: Kenyon College, A.B., 1962; Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1966
Professional Career: Private practice, Baltimore, Maryland, 1966-1988
Robert Bruce King
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated on June 24, 1998, to a seat vacated by Kenneth K. Hall. Confirmed by the Senate on October 8, 1998, and received commission on October 9, 1998.
Education: West Virginia University, B.A., 1961; West Virginia University College of Law, J.D., 1968
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. John A. Field, U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia, 1968-1969; Private practice, Lewisburg, West Virginia, 1969-1970; Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of West Virginia, 1970-1974; Private practice, Charleston, West Virginia, 1975-1977, 1981-1998; U.S. attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, 1977-1981
Roger L. Gregory
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Received a recess appointment from Bill Clinton on December 27, 2000, to a new seat authorized by 104 Stat. 5089; nominated to the same position on May 9, 2001. Confirmed by the Senate on July 20, 2001, and received commission on July 25, 2001.
Education: Virginia State College, B.A., 1975; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Private practice, Michigan, 1978-1980; Private practice, Virginia, 1980-2000
Stephanie Dawn Thacker
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Nominated on September 8, 2011, to a seat vacated by M. Blane Michael. Confirmed by the Senate on April 16, 2012, and received commission on April 17, 2012.
Education: Marshall University, B.A., 1987; West Virginia University College of Law, J.D., 1990
Professional Career: Private practice, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1990-1992; Assistant attorney general, Environmental Division, State of West Virginia, 1992; Private practice, Charleston, West Virginia, 1992-1994, 2006-2012; Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of West Virginia, 1994-1999; Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, U.S. Department of Justice, 1999-2006; trial attorney, 1999-2002; deputy chief for litigation, 2002-2004; principal deputy chief, 2004-2006
Appointments
Circuit Court Judges are nominated by the President of the United States and approved by the United States Senate. Nominees are usually recommended to the President by members of the House or Senate and are typically interviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee during a confirmation hearing. All Circuit Court Judges are appointed for a life term.
Pamela Harris
Nominated Thu, 05/08/2014
Pamela Harris is currently a visiting professor at the Georgetown University Law Center and a senior advisor to its Supreme Court Institute. She previously served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Legal Policy at the United States Department of Justice.