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 "excerpt": "Joan L. Larsen is an American jurist serving as a judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017, appointed by President Trump after serving on the Michigan Supreme Court.",
 "snippet": "Joan L. Larsen is an American jurist serving as a judge of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals since 2017, appointed by President Trump after serving on the Michigan Supreme Court.",
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 "markdown": "# Joan L. Larsen\n\nJoan Louise Larsen (born 1968) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-sixth-circuit) since 2017.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> She was appointed by President Donald J. Trump.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> Before joining the federal bench, she served as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | November 1, 2017 (Senate voted 60 to 38)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150257)</sup> |\n| Born | 1968 in Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., University of Northern Iowa, 1990; J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (now Pritzker School of Law), 1993<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nLarsen was born in 1968 in Waterloo/[Cedar Falls, Iowa](https://www.edgepedia.org/cedar-falls-iowa).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> She received her [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1990 and her [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from Northwestern University School of Law, now the Pritzker School of Law, in 1993.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Larsen clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle of the [United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-district-of-columbia-circuit) from 1993 to 1994, and then for Justice Antonin Scalia of the [Supreme Court of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/supreme-court-of-the-united-states) from 1994 to 1995.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> She practiced law in private practice in Washington, D.C., from 1995 to 1997.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\nLarsen then entered legal academia. She was a visiting assistant professor at Northwestern University School of Law in 1998 and joined the University of Michigan Law School, where she was a visiting professor of law from 1998 to 2001, special counsel and lecturer in law from 2003 to 2015, and an adjunct professor of law beginning in 2015.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> She was a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Law in 2006.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\nFrom 2002 to 2003, Larsen served in the [United States Department of Justice](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-department-of-justice) as a deputy assistant attorney general.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> She served as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court from 2015 to 2017.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Larsen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit on May 8, 2017.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup> The Senate confirmed her nomination on November 1, 2017, by a vote of 60 to 38.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150257)</sup> She received her commission on November 2, 2017.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Joan Louise Larsen](https://www.fjc.gov/node/3984221)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote RS1150257](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150257)\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 K to N*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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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