{
 "id": "epemnk2srn",
 "slug": "timothy-l-brooks",
 "title": "Timothy L. Brooks",
 "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-bl-to-by",
   "label": "Surnames Bl to By",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-bl-to-by"
  }
 ],
 "geo": [
  {
   "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-bl-to-by",
   "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Bl to By",
   "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-bl-to-by",
   "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-bl-to-by",
     "label": "Surnames Bl to By",
     "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-bl-to-by"
    }
   ]
  }
 ],
 "excerpt": "Timothy L. Brooks, or Timothy Lloyd Brooks, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Arkansas since 2014, appointed by Barack Obama.",
 "snippet": "Timothy L. Brooks, or Timothy Lloyd Brooks, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Arkansas since 2014, appointed by Barack Obama.",
 "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-bl-to-by",
 "markdown": "# Timothy L. Brooks\n\nTimothy Lloyd Brooks (born 1964) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas since 2014.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> He was appointed by President Barack Obama.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> He has served as chief judge of the court since 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | March 5, 2014 (Senate vote 100 to 0)<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130345)</sup> |\n| Chief judge | 2025<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> |\n| Born | 1964 in Detroit, MI<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> |\n| Education | B.S.B.A., University of Arkansas, 1986; J.D., University of Arkansas School of Law, 1989<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBrooks was born in 1964 in Detroit, Michigan.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> He received a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) in Business Administration from the [University of Arkansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-arkansas) in 1986 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1989.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nBrooks was in private practice in [Fayetteville, Arkansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/fayetteville-arkansas), until 2014.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) first nominated Brooks to the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas on June 7, 2013, but no Senate vote was held on that nomination.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> Obama renominated him on January 6, 2014.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> The Senate confirmed him on March 5, 2014, by a vote of 100 to 0.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130345)</sup> He received his commission on March 7, 2014.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup> He began serving as chief judge of the court in 2025.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\nBallot initiative laws. In a ruling issued on June 30, 2026, Brooks struck down several Arkansas laws restricting the ballot initiative process, holding that laws making canvassing more difficult are unconstitutional.<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup> In a 62-page ruling, he found that the rules, which required canvassers to read lengthy ballot titles aloud, recite a message about petition fraud, verify identification, and disclose personal information to collect a single signature, violated canvassers' rights.<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup> He wrote: \"There is no evidence in the record connecting any canvassers (with or without a criminal history) to any crimes against petitioners.\"<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup> The suit was brought by the League of Women Voters of Arkansas and Save AR Democracy.<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup> Brooks did not rule on other controversies in the law, including vagueness claims, and dismissed a separate part of the lawsuit challenging a requirement raising the number of counties needed to collect signatures from 15 to 50, finding it did not violate the First Amendment.<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup> The case was set to go to trial in late July.<sup>[3](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Timothy Lloyd Brooks](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394376)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote 113-0345](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130345)\n3. [Federal judge strikes down Arkansas laws restricting ballot initiative process](https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2026-07-01/federal-judge-strikes-down-arkansas-laws-restricting-ballot-initiative-process)\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 Bl to By*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026; Sep 30, 2026 · Edited: 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/timothy-l-brooks",
 "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks.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": "\"Timothy L. Brooks\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
 "credit_md": "\"[Timothy L. Brooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks](https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).",
 "credit_html": "\"<a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks\">Timothy L. Brooks</a>\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks\">https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-l-brooks</a>. <a href=\"https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\">Edgepedia Community License 1.0</a>.",
 "speakable": "Timothy L. Brooks, or Timothy Lloyd Brooks, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Arkansas since 2014, appointed by Barack Obama."
}