{ "id": "epgmqrsv72", "slug": "william-l-campbell-jr", "title": "William L. Campbell, Jr.", "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.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-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "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-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ] } ], "excerpt": "William L. Campbell, Jr., also known as William Lynn Campbell, Jr., is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Tennessee since 2018.", "snippet": "William L. Campbell, Jr., also known as William Lynn Campbell, Jr., is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Tennessee since 2018.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "markdown": "# William L. Campbell, Jr.\n\nWilliam Lynn Campbell, Jr. (born 1969) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee since 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) He was appointed by President Donald J. Trump and has served as chief judge of the court since 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) |\n| Appointed by | Donald J. Trump[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) |\n| Confirmed | January 9, 2018 (Senate voted 97 to 0)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150328) |\n| Chief judge | 2024[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) |\n| Born | 1969, Nashville, Tennessee[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) |\n| Education | B.S., U.S. Naval Academy, 1991; J.D., University of Alabama School of Law, 2001[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nCampbell was born in 1969 in [Nashville, Tennessee](https://www.edgepedia.org/nashville-tennessee).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) He received a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) from the [United States Naval Academy](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-naval-academy) in 1991 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Alabama School of Law in 2001.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846)\n\n## Legal career\n\nCampbell served as a commissioned officer in the [United States Marine Corps](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-marine-corps) from 1991 to 1998, reaching the rank of captain.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) After law school, he practiced law in [Birmingham, Alabama](https://www.edgepedia.org/birmingham-alabama), from 2001 to 2003, and then in Nashville, Tennessee, from 2003 to 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Donald J. Trump nominated Campbell to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee on July 13, 2017.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) The Senate confirmed his nomination on January 9, 2018, by a vote of 97 to 0.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150328) He received his commission on January 12, 2018.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846) He became chief judge of the court in 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846)\n\n## Chambers practices\n\nCampbell's published practice and procedure guidelines describe his courtroom and case-management preferences. He refers some new cases to magistrate judges for case management and sets trial dates after the initial case management conference.[3](https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnmd/files/Campbell%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20Manual%202023.pdf) He requires that briefs be direct and favors brevity, limiting briefs to twenty-five pages without prior court approval.[3](https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnmd/files/Campbell%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20Manual%202023.pdf) In discovery disputes, he requires lead counsel for each party to hold an in-person meeting before raising the dispute with the court.[3](https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnmd/files/Campbell%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20Manual%202023.pdf) In criminal cases, he schedules a status conference approximately forty-five days before trial and a pretrial conference approximately one week before trial, and he generally rules on motions in limine at the pretrial conference.[3](https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnmd/files/Campbell%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20Manual%202023.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: William Lynn Campbell, Jr.](https://www.fjc.gov/node/4027846)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, January 9, 2018](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1150328)\n3. [Judge Campbell Practice and Procedure Manual](https://www.tnmd.uscourts.gov/sites/tnmd/files/Campbell%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20Manual%202023.pdf)\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 C*\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/william-l-campbell-jr", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr.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": "\"William L. Campbell, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[William L. Campbell, Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"William L. Campbell, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/william-l-campbell-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "William L. Campbell, Jr., also known as William Lynn Campbell, Jr., is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge in Tennessee since 2018." }