{ "id": "eph3h7b8e3", "slug": "james-e-gritzner", "title": "James E. Gritzner", "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.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-f-to-g", "label": "Surnames F to G", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-f-to-g" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-f-to-g", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames F to G", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-f-to-g", "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-f-to-g", "label": "Surnames F to G", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-f-to-g" } ] } ], "excerpt": "James E. Gritzner, born 1947 in Charles City, Iowa, is a senior United States district judge for the Southern District of Iowa, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002.", "snippet": "James E. Gritzner, born 1947 in Charles City, Iowa, is a senior United States district judge for the Southern District of Iowa, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-f-to-g", "markdown": "# James E. Gritzner\n\nJames E. Gritzner (born 1947) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa since 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush, confirmed in 2002, and served as chief judge from 2011 to 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He assumed senior status on March 1, 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n| Confirmed | February 14, 2002, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n| Senior status | March 1, 2015[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n| Born | 1947, Charles City, Iowa[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n| Education | B.A., Dakota Wesleyan University, 1969; M.A., University of Northern Iowa, 1974; J.D., Drake University Law School, 1979[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nGritzner was born in 1947 in Charles City, Iowa.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Dakota Wesleyan University in 1969 and a [Master of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-arts) from the University of Northern Iowa in 1974.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He earned his [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from Drake University Law School in 1979.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1977 to 1979, Gritzner served as an assistant to U.S. Magistrate Ronald Longstaff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) After entering private practice in 1979, he served as a member of the Iowa Board of Parole from 1980 to 1982.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He remained in private practice until 2002.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nGritzner was first nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on July 10, 2001, but no Senate vote was held on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He was renominated on September 4, 2001.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on February 14, 2002, and he received his commission on February 19, 2002.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He served as chief judge of the Southern District of Iowa from 2011 to 2015.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) He assumed senior status on March 1, 2015, and continues to serve on the court as a senior district judge.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436) • [2](https://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/court-info)\n\nThe Southern District of Iowa serves 47 of Iowa's 99 counties and holds court in Davenport, Des Moines, and Council Bluffs.[2](https://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/court-info)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: James E. Gritzner](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391436)\n2. [Court Information, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa](https://www.iasd.uscourts.gov/court-info)\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 F to G*\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": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner.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 E. Gritzner\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[James E. Gritzner](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"James E. Gritzner\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-gritzner. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "James E. Gritzner, born 1947 in Charles City, Iowa, is a senior United States district judge for the Southern District of Iowa, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002." }