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 "excerpt": "James R. Hall, full name James Randal Hall, is an American judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia since 2008.",
 "snippet": "James R. Hall, full name James Randal Hall, is an American judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia since 2008.",
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 "markdown": "# James R. Hall\n\nJames Randal Hall (born 1958)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia since 2008.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> He was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by voice vote in 2008.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> Hall served as chief judge of the court from 2017 to 2024.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | April 10, 2008 (voice vote)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> |\n| Born | 1958 in Augusta, Georgia<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., Augusta College (now Augusta University), 1979; J.D., University of Georgia School of Law, 1982<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHall was born in 1958 in [Augusta, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/augusta-georgia).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Augusta College, now Augusta University, in 1979, and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1982.<sup>[4](https://www.usg.edu/news/release/board-of-regents-names-augusta-university/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nHall entered private practice in Augusta, Georgia, from 1982 to 1985.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> He then served as vice president and legal counsel of Bankers First Corporation from 1985 to 1996, a period in banking that a 2019 profile in the Daily Report described as the foundation of his legal career before his nomination to the bench.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2019/10/29/questions-for-the-bench-chief-judge-j-randal-hall-us-district-court-for-the-southern-district-of-georgia/)</sup> He returned to private practice in Augusta from 1996 to 2008.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup>\n\nHall also served in elected office as a state senator for Georgia's 22nd District from 2003 to 2004.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Hall to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia on March 19, 2007.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on April 10, 2008, and he received his commission on April 29, 2008.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup> He served as chief judge of the Southern District of Georgia from 2017 to 2024.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)</sup>\n\nIn a 2019 question-and-answer feature for the Daily Report, Hall offered advice to lawyers appearing before him, writing: \"I watch juries and they tend to zone out after 15 minutes. I frequently offer lawyers this tip, but few ever heed my advice.\"<sup>[2](https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2019/10/29/questions-for-the-bench-chief-judge-j-randal-hall-us-district-court-for-the-southern-district-of-georgia/)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\nAmong Hall's published opinions, the most cited in the CourtListener corpus is *Great Northern Insurance v. Ruiz*, an opinion he authored between 2009 and 2011 that has been cited six times in subsequent court decisions.<sup>[3](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/james-hall)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: James Randal Hall](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392691)\n2. [Questions for the Bench: Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, US District Court for the Southern District of Georgia](https://www.law.com/dailyreportonline/2019/10/29/questions-for-the-bench-chief-judge-j-randal-hall-us-district-court-for-the-southern-district-of-georgia/)\n3. [James Randal Hall: Judge, Southern District of Georgia](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/james-hall)\n4. [Board of regents names augusta university (usg.edu)](https://www.usg.edu/news/release/board-of-regents-names-augusta-university/)\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 H*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 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",
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 "speakable": "James R. Hall, full name James Randal Hall, is an American judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia since 2008."
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