{ "id": "eprxmz96hg", "slug": "don-r-willett", "title": "Don R. Willett", "updated": "2026-10-15", "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-t-to-w", "label": "Surnames T to W", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: 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", "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" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Don R. Willett is an American jurist serving as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit since 2018, appointed by President Donald Trump.", "snippet": "Don R. Willett is an American jurist serving as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit since 2018, appointed by President Donald Trump.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w", "markdown": "# Don R. Willett\n\nDon R. Willett (born 1966) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-fifth-circuit) since 2018.[1](https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/about-the-court/fifth-circuit-judges) • [2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He was appointed to the court by President Donald J. Trump, receiving his commission in January 2018.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) Before joining the federal bench, he served as a justice of the [Supreme Court of Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-texas) from 2005 to 2017.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) |\n| Confirmed | December 13, 2017 (Senate voted 50 to 47)[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150315) |\n| Born | 1966 in Dallas, Texas[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) |\n| Education | B.B.A., Baylor University, 1988; J.D., Duke University School of Law, 1992; M.A., Duke University, 1992; LL.M., Duke University School of Law, 2016[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nWillett was born in 1966 in Dallas, Texas.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He received a [Bachelor of Business Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-business-administration) degree from [Baylor University](https://www.edgepedia.org/baylor-university) in 1988.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He then attended [Duke University](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-university), earning a Juris Doctor from the Duke University School of Law and a Master of Arts in 1992.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) In 2016, he received a Master of Laws degree from the Duke University School of Law.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Willett served as a law clerk to Judge Jerre S. Williams of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1992 to 1993.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He then practiced law privately in [Austin, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/austin-texas), from 1993 to 1996.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\nFrom 1996 to 2000, Willett served as director of research and special projects in the Office of the [Governor of Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/governor-of-texas) under Governor George W. Bush.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) During the 2000 presidential campaign and transition, he worked as a domestic policy and special projects advisor to the [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) campaign and transition team.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He then served as special assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2002.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\nWillett next served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the [United States Department of Justice](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-department-of-justice) from 2002 to 2003.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He returned to Texas state government as deputy attorney general for legal counsel in the Office of the Texas Attorney General from 2003 to 2005.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\nIn 2005, Willett became a justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, where he served until 2017.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Willett to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on October 3, 2017, filling a seat on that court.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) The Senate confirmed his nomination on December 13, 2017, by a vote of 50 to 47.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150315) He received his commission on January 2, 2018.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356) He has served as a judge of the Fifth Circuit since then and is listed among the court's active judges.[1](https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/about-the-court/fifth-circuit-judges)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Fifth Circuit Judges](https://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/about-the-court/fifth-circuit-judges)\n2. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Don R. Willett](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4025356)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote 115th Congress, RS1150315](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150315)\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 T to W*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett.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": "\"Don R. Willett\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Don R. Willett](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Don R. Willett\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/don-r-willett. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Don R. Willett is an American jurist serving as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit since 2018, appointed by President Donald Trump." }