{ "id": "epx8yqwrqh", "slug": "james-d-peterson", "title": "James D. Peterson", "updated": "2026-09-30", "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.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "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.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ] } ], "excerpt": "James D. Peterson, full name James Donald Peterson, is an American jurist serving as a federal district judge in Wisconsin since 2014, appointed by President Barack Obama.", "snippet": "James D. Peterson, full name James Donald Peterson, is an American jurist serving as a federal district judge in Wisconsin since 2014, appointed by President Barack Obama.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "markdown": "# James D. Peterson\n\nJames Donald Peterson (born 1957)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) is an American jurist who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin from 2014 until assuming senior status (semi-retired judge role with reduced caseload) on May 16, 2026, and now serves in senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He was appointed by President Barack Obama and served as chief judge of the district from 2017 until he assumed senior status in 2026.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) |\n| Confirmed | May 8, 2014 (Senate voted 70 to 24)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130429) |\n| Born | 1957 in Lake Charles, Louisiana[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) |\n| Education | B.S., University of Wisconsin, 1979; M.A., University of Wisconsin, 1984; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1986; J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 1998[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nPeterson was born in 1957 in [Lake Charles, Louisiana](https://www.edgepedia.org/lake-charles-louisiana).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He received a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin in 1979, an M.A. in 1984, and a Ph.D. in 1986.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He later earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1998.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1986 to 1993, Peterson was an assistant professor in the Department of Film, Television and Theatre at the [University of Notre Dame](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-notre-dame).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He then lectured in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin from 1994 to 1995.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) After completing his law degree, he served as a law clerk to Judge David G. Deininger of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 1998 to 1999.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He then practiced law in private practice in [Madison, Wisconsin](https://www.edgepedia.org/madison-wisconsin), from 1999 to 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPeterson was first nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on November 7, 2013; no Senate vote occurred on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He was renominated on January 6, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) The Senate confirmed him on May 8, 2014, by a vote of 70 to 24.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130429) He received his commission on May 12, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491) He assumed the role of chief judge of the district in March 2017.[3](https://www.wiwd.uscourts.gov/node/268)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: James Donald Peterson](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, May 8, 2014](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130429)\n3. [History of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin](https://www.wiwd.uscourts.gov/node/268)\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 district court judges › Surnames N to P*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Last review: Sep 30, 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/james-d-peterson", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson.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": "\"James D. Peterson\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[James D. Peterson](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"James D. Peterson\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-d-peterson. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "James D. Peterson, full name James Donald Peterson, is an American jurist serving as a federal district judge in Wisconsin since 2014, appointed by President Barack Obama." }