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 "excerpt": "Reed C. O'Connor, born Reed Charles O'Connor in 1965, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas since 2007.",
 "snippet": "Reed C. O'Connor, born Reed Charles O'Connor in 1965, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas since 2007.",
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 "markdown": "# Reed C. O'Connor\n\nReed Charles O'Connor (born 1965) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas since 2007.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> He was appointed by President George W. Bush, confirmed by voice vote in 2007, and began serving as chief judge of the court in 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | November 16, 2007, by voice vote<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> |\n| Born | 1965, Houston, Texas<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> |\n| Education | B.S., University of Houston, 1986; J.D., South Texas College of Law, 1989<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nO'Connor was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> He received a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) from the [University of Houston](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-houston) in 1986 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from South Texas College of Law in 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, O'Connor was in private practice in Texas from 1989 to 1994.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> He then served as an assistant district attorney for [Tarrant County, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/tarrant-county-texas), from 1994 to 1998.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> From 1998 to 2007, he worked as an assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of Texas.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> Concurrently, from 2003 to 2007, he served on the staff of the United States Senate Committee on the [Judiciary](https://www.edgepedia.org/judiciary).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated O'Connor to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on June 27, 2007, to a seat vacated by [A. Joe Fish](https://www.edgepedia.org/a-joe-fish).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on November 16, 2007, and he received his commission on November 21, 2007.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup> He began a term as chief judge of the court in 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\n**X Corp. v. Media Matters.** O'Connor has presided over a lawsuit brought by [X Corp.](https://www.edgepedia.org/x-corp), formerly known as Twitter, against [Media Matters for America](https://www.edgepedia.org/media-matters-for-america) concerning Media Matters's critical coverage of X Corp.<sup>[2](https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-overseeing-an-x-corp-lawsuit)</sup> On September 16, 2025, O'Connor issued a ruling that had the result of keeping the lawsuit alive and in his court in [Fort Worth, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/fort-worth-texas).<sup>[2](https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-overseeing-an-x-corp-lawsuit)</sup> The ruling was unexpected given a prior decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the news outlet Law Dork reported that O'Connor's ruling appeared to be seeking a way around that decision in order to keep the case alive.<sup>[2](https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-overseeing-an-x-corp-lawsuit)</sup> In August 2025, O'Connor's holdings of Tesla stock drew news coverage, and Law Dork reported that his investments in recent years involved Elon Musk-related companies more than previously reported; Musk is the owner of X Corp.<sup>[2](https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-overseeing-an-x-corp-lawsuit)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Reed Charles O'Connor](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1392661)\n2. [Judge overseeing an X Corp. lawsuit has an Elon Musk-entangled investment history](https://www.lawdork.com/p/judge-overseeing-an-x-corp-lawsuit)\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 · 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",
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 "credit": "\"Reed C. O'Connor\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/reed-c-oconnor. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Reed C. O'Connor, born Reed Charles O'Connor in 1965, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Northern District of Texas since 2007."
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