{ "id": "eprcwsdp32", "slug": "timothy-m-tymkovich", "title": "Timothy M. Tymkovich", "updated": "2026-10-15", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w", "label": "Surnames T to W", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Timothy M. Tymkovich is an American jurist serving as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush.", "snippet": "Timothy M. Tymkovich is an American jurist serving as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-t-to-w", "markdown": "# Timothy M. Tymkovich\n\nTimothy M. Tymkovich (born 1956) is an American jurist serving as a judge on the [United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-tenth-circuit) since 2003. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and served as the court's chief judge from 2015 to 2022.[1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status) • [2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) In February 2026, he informed the President of his intention to take senior status (semi-retired judge keeps hearing cases with reduced caseload) upon the confirmation of his successor, and he will continue to hear cases as a senior judge.[1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) |\n| Confirmed | April 1, 2003 (Senate voted 58 to 41)[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080113) |\n| Born | 1956 in Denver, Colorado[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) |\n| Education | B.A., Colorado College, 1979; J.D., University of Colorado Law School, 1982[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nTymkovich was born in 1956 in Denver, Colorado.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) He is a third-generation Coloradan.[4](https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/12631/judge-tim-tymkovich) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from [Colorado College](https://www.edgepedia.org/colorado-college) in 1979 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Colorado Law School in 1982.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Tymkovich served as a law clerk to Judge William H. Erickson of the Colorado Supreme Court from 1982 to 1983.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) He then worked in private practice in Colorado from 1983 to 1991, including at the Denver firm David Graham & Stubbs in its Denver and Washington, DC offices.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [4](https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/12631/judge-tim-tymkovich)\n\nIn 1991, he joined Colorado Attorney General Gale Norton as Solicitor General of the State of Colorado, serving from 1991 to 1996. In that position, he directed legal policy for the state, handled legislative matters before the Colorado General Assembly and the [United States Congress](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-congress), and represented Colorado in two cases before the United States Supreme Court.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [4](https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/12631/judge-tim-tymkovich)\n\nTymkovich returned to private practice in Denver in 1996, helping to form the firm Hale Hackstaff Tymkovich, where he practiced business litigation and appeals, election law, and legislative and regulatory matters until 2003.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [4](https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/12631/judge-tim-tymkovich)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) first nominated Tymkovich to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on May 25, 2001, and again on September 4, 2001; neither nomination received a Senate vote.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) Bush renominated him on January 7, 2003, to the seat vacated when Judge John Carbone Porfilio assumed senior status.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status) The Senate confirmed him on April 1, 2003, by a vote of 58 to 41,[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080113) and he received his commission the same day.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791)\n\nTymkovich served as chief judge of the Tenth Circuit from 2015 to 2022, the twelfth chief judge of the court, and as a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states) during that period.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791) • [1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status) He has also served as chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Resources, chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Conduct and [Disability](https://www.edgepedia.org/disability), and as a judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.[1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status) On February 24, 2026, he informed the President of his intention to take senior status upon the confirmation of his successor.[1](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nTymkovich authored the opinion in *Save The Colorado v. Graham*, and has authored opinions in *United States v. Bayne* and *United States v. Moon Seals*.[5](https://benchlight.org/judges/timothy-m-tymkovich) He has also sat on panels in cases including *United States v. Ostertag*, *Joyner v. Frontier Airlines*, *United States v. Barker*, and *KetoNatural Pet Foods v. Hill's Pet Nutrition*.[5](https://benchlight.org/judges/timothy-m-tymkovich)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich to Take Senior Status](https://www.ca10.uscourts.gov/clerk/news/honorable-timothy-m-tymkovich-take-senior-status)\n2. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Timothy M. Tymkovich](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391791)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, April 1, 2003](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080113)\n4. [Judge Tim Tymkovich, University of Colorado Law School](https://www.colorado.edu/law/node/12631/judge-tim-tymkovich)\n5. [Timothy M. Tymkovich, Benchlight](https://benchlight.org/judges/timothy-m-tymkovich)\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 T to W*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 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/timothy-m-tymkovich", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich.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 M. Tymkovich\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Timothy M. Tymkovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Timothy M. Tymkovich\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/timothy-m-tymkovich. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Timothy M. Tymkovich is an American jurist serving as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit since 2003, appointed by President George W. Bush." }