# Roger L. Wollman

Roger Leland Wollman (born 1934) is an American jurist who served as a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, assuming senior status (semi-retired judge with reduced caseload) on December 14, 2018, and inactive senior status in September 2024, formally retiring from the federal judiciary.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> He was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan, confirmed in 1985, and served as the Eighth Circuit's chief judge from 1999 to 2002.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup>

| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |
| Confirmed | July 19, 1985, by voice vote<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |
| Senior status | December 14, 2018<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |
| Born | 1934, Frankfort, South Dakota<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |
| Education | B.A., Tabor College, 1957; J.D., University of South Dakota School of Law (now Knudson School of Law), 1962; LL.M., Harvard Law School, 1964<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> |

## Early life and education

Wollman was born in 1934 in Frankfort, South Dakota.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Tabor College in 1957, a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of South Dakota School of Law, now the Knudson School of Law, in 1962, and a [Master of Laws](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-laws) from Harvard Law School in 1964.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup>

## Legal career

Wollman served in the [United States Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-army) from 1957 to 1959.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> After law school, he was a law clerk to Judge George T. Mickelson of the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota from 1962 to 1963.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> He then entered private practice in [Aberdeen, South Dakota](https://www.edgepedia.org/aberdeen-south-dakota), from 1964 to 1971, while also serving as state's attorney for Brown County, South Dakota, from 1967 to 1971.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup>

In 1971, Wollman became a justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court, serving until 1985, and was the court's chief justice from 1978 to 1982.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup>

## Federal judicial service

President [Ronald Reagan](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronald-reagan) nominated Wollman to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on June 25, 1985.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> The Senate confirmed him by voice vote on July 19, 1985, and he received his commission on July 22, 1985.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> He served as chief judge of the Eighth Circuit from 1999 to 2002, and during that period was also a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states) from 1999 to 2002.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup> He assumed senior status on December 14, 2018.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)</sup>

## Notable cases

According to a compilation of published opinions from the CourtListener corpus, Wollman authored 17 published opinions for the Eighth Circuit during 2010 and 2011, the most cited of which was *K-V Pharmaceutical Co. v. J. Uriach & CIA, S.A.*.<sup>[2](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/roger-wollman)</sup>

## References

1. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Roger Leland Wollman](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1390021)
2. [Roger Leland Wollman: Judge, Eighth Circuit](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/roger-wollman)

---
*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*

*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license