{ "id": "ep5h9pdh2b", "slug": "d-m-fisher", "title": "D. M. Fisher", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "label": "Surnames D to J", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j" } ] } ], "excerpt": "D. Michael Fisher is an American jurist on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush.", "snippet": "D. Michael Fisher is an American jurist on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-d-to-j", "markdown": "# D. M. Fisher\n\nD. Michael Fisher (born 1944) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2003, and as a senior judge of that court since 2017.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He was appointed by President George W. Bush.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He assumed senior status on February 1, 2017.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n| Confirmed | December 9, 2003, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n| Senior status | February 1, 2017[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n| Born | 1944, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n| Education | A.B., Georgetown University, 1966; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, 1969[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nFisher was born in 1944 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He received his A.B. from [Georgetown University](https://www.edgepedia.org/georgetown-university) in 1966 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1969.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) In 2023, Georgetown honored him as the recipient of the William Gaston Award for service and leadership.[2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFisher served in the [United States Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-army) from 1969 to 1975, including service with the D.C. National Guard from 1969 to 1970 and the 2073 USAR School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1970 to 1975.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He worked as a law clerk in private practice in 1969 and served as an assistant district attorney in [Allegheny County, Pennsylvania](https://www.edgepedia.org/allegheny-county-pennsylvania), from 1970 to 1974.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He served as an assistant district attorney in [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) after graduating from Georgetown University and its law center, his first prosecutorial position.[2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher)\n\nFisher was in private practice in Pennsylvania from 1970 to 1997, continuing to practice law during his legislative career and serving as a shareholder or partner in various firms, including Houston Harbaugh.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) • [2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher) He served as a state representative in Pennsylvania from 1974 to 1980 and as a state senator from 1980 to 1996, spending six years in the State House and 16 years in the State Senate.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) • [2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher) He was elected Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 1996 and re-elected in 2000, serving from 1997 to 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) • [2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher) As attorney general, he argued major cases in state and federal appellate courts, and in March 1998 he successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court a case ensuring that paroled criminals meet the conditions of their release.[2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Fisher to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on May 1, 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on December 9, 2003, and he received his commission on December 11, 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) He assumed senior status on February 1, 2017.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071) In 2017, he was named the initial Distinguished Jurist in Residence at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he teaches Federal Appellate Advocacy and Federal Habeas Corpus.[2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher) He chairs the Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction of the United States Judicial Conference and the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Federal Practice Committee.[2](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: D. Michael Fisher](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392071)\n2. [The Honorable D. Michael Fisher | School of Law](https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States courts of appeals judges › Surnames D to J*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [ "https://www.law.pitt.edu/people/honorable-d-michael-fisher" ], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"D. M. Fisher\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[D. M. Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"D. M. Fisher\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/d-m-fisher. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "D. Michael Fisher is an American jurist on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush." }