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 "excerpt": "Travis R. McDonough, born Travis Randall McDonough in 1972, is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
 "snippet": "Travis R. McDonough, born Travis Randall McDonough in 1972, is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, appointed by President Barack Obama.",
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 "markdown": "# Travis R. McDonough\n\nTravis Randall McDonough (born 1972) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee since 2015.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> He was appointed by President Barack Obama and has served as chief judge of the court since 2020.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | December 7, 2015, by a vote of 89 to 0<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1140332)</sup> |\n| Born | 1972 in Chattanooga, Tennessee<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., University of the South, 1994; J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School, 1997<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nMcDonough was born in 1972 in [Chattanooga, Tennessee](https://www.edgepedia.org/chattanooga-tennessee).<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> He was raised in Marion County, Tennessee.<sup>[3](https://cle.tba.org/faculty/profile/17333)</sup> He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from the University of the South in 1994 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1997.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> While at Sewanee, The University of the South, he was named a Harry S Truman scholar.<sup>[3](https://cle.tba.org/faculty/profile/17333)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nMcDonough was in private practice in Chattanooga, Tennessee, from 1997 to 2013.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> He served as an associate at the Chattanooga law firm of Miller & Martin from 1997 to 2004 and as a partner at the firm from 2005 to 2013, serving as head of the firm's litigation department from 2012 to 2013; during his time at the firm, he litigated a wide variety of civil and criminal matters in federal and state courts.<sup>[3](https://cle.tba.org/faculty/profile/17333)</sup> From 2013 to 2015, he served as chief of staff and counselor to Mayor Andy Berke of Chattanooga.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nMcDonough was nominated to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on November 20, 2014; no Senate vote was held on that nomination.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> He was renominated on January 7, 2015.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> The Senate confirmed him on December 7, 2015, by a vote of 89 to 0.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1140332)</sup> He received his commission on December 10, 2015.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup> He became chief judge of the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2020.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Travis Randall McDonough](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394821)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote 114-0332](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1140332)\n3. [Travis McDonough Faculty Profile](https://cle.tba.org/faculty/profile/17333)\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 Mc to My*\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",
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 "credit": "\"Travis R. McDonough\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/travis-r-mcdonough. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.",
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 "speakable": "Travis R. McDonough, born Travis Randall McDonough in 1972, is a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, appointed by President Barack Obama."
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