United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:

District of Maryland Eastern District of North Carolina Middle District of North Carolina Western District of North Carolina District of South Carolina Eastern District of Virginia Western District of Virginia Northern District of West Virginia Southern District of West Virginia The court is based at the Lewis F. Powell Jr. United States Courthouse in Richmond, Virginia. With 15 authorized judgeships, it is the 4th largest circuit among the 13 United States Courts of Appeals.

Infobox

Location

Lewis F. Powell Jr. U . Courthouse(Richmond, Virginia)

Appeals from

Established

June 16, 1891

Judges

Circuit Justice

John Roberts

Chief Judge

Albert Diaz

Tables

· Current composition of the court

Active

Title

Chief

Judge

Senior

Title

Chief Judge

Judge

Albert Diaz

Duty station

Charlotte, NC

Born

1960

Term of service

2010–present

Term of service

2023–present

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Obama

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

J. Harvie Wilkinson III

Duty station

Charlottesville, VA

Born

1944

Term of service

1984–present

Term of service

1996–2003

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Reagan

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Paul V. Niemeyer

Duty station

Baltimore, MD

Born

1941

Term of service

1990–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

G . Bush

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Robert Bruce King

Duty station

Charleston, WV

Born

1940

Term of service

1998–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Clinton

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Roger Gregory

Duty station

Richmond, VA

Born

1953

Term of service

2000–present

Term of service

2016–2023

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Clinton / G . Bush

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

G. Steven Agee

Duty station

Salem, VA

Born

1952

Term of service

2008–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

G . Bush

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

James Andrew Wynn

Duty station

Raleigh, NC

Born

1954

Term of service

2010–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Obama

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Stephanie Thacker

Duty station

Charleston, WV

Born

1965

Term of service

2012–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Obama

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Pamela Harris

Duty station

Bethesda, MD

Born

1962

Term of service

2014–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Obama

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Julius N. Richardson

Duty station

Columbia, SC

Born

1976

Term of service

2018–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Trump

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr.

Duty station

Greenville, SC

Born

1964

Term of service

2018–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Trump

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Allison Jones Rushing

Duty station

Asheville, NC

Born

1982

Term of service

2019–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Trump

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Toby J. Heytens

Duty station

Alexandria, VA

Born

1975

Term of service

2021–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Biden

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

DeAndrea G. Benjamin

Duty station

Columbia, SC

Born

1972

Term of service

2023–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Biden

Title

Circuit Judge

Judge

Nicole Berner

Duty station

Baltimore, MD

Born

1965

Term of service

2024–present

Term of service

—

Term of service

—

Appointed by

Biden

1994

1994–2022

Title

Senior Judge

Judge

Diana Gribbon Motz

Duty station

inactive

Born

1943

Term of service

1994–2022

Term of service

—

Term of service

2022–present

Appointed by

Clinton

1998

1998–2018

Title

Senior Judge

Judge

William Byrd Traxler Jr.

Duty station

Greenville, SC

Born

1948

Term of service

1998–2018

Term of service

2009–2016

Term of service

2018–present

Appointed by

Clinton

2010

2010–2021

Title

Senior Judge

Judge

Barbara Milano Keenan

Duty station

Alexandria, VA

Born

1950

Term of service

2010–2021

Term of service

—

Term of service

2021–present

Appointed by

Obama

2011

2011–2021

Title

Senior Judge

Judge

Henry F. Floyd

Duty station

Spartanburg, SC

Born

1947

Term of service

2011–2021

Term of service

—

Term of service

2021–present

Appointed by

Obama

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Active	Chief	Senior	Appointed by
48	Chief Judge	Albert Diaz	Charlotte, NC	1960	2010–present	2023–present	—	Obama
30	Circuit Judge	J. Harvie Wilkinson III	Charlottesville, VA	1944	1984–present	1996–2003	—	Reagan
33	Circuit Judge	Paul V. Niemeyer	Baltimore, MD	1941	1990–present	—	—	G . Bush
40	Circuit Judge	Robert Bruce King	Charleston, WV	1940	1998–present	—	—	Clinton
41	Circuit Judge	Roger Gregory	Richmond, VA	1953	2000–present	2016–2023	—	Clinton / G . Bush
44	Circuit Judge	G. Steven Agee	Salem, VA	1952	2008–present	—	—	G . Bush
47	Circuit Judge	James Andrew Wynn	Raleigh, NC	1954	2010–present	—	—	Obama
50	Circuit Judge	Stephanie Thacker	Charleston, WV	1965	2012–present	—	—	Obama
51	Circuit Judge	Pamela Harris	Bethesda, MD	1962	2014–present	—	—	Obama
52	Circuit Judge	Julius N. Richardson	Columbia, SC	1976	2018–present	—	—	Trump
53	Circuit Judge	A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr.	Greenville, SC	1964	2018–present	—	—	Trump
54	Circuit Judge	Allison Jones Rushing	Asheville, NC	1982	2019–present	—	—	Trump
55	Circuit Judge	Toby J. Heytens	Alexandria, VA	1975	2021–present	—	—	Biden
56	Circuit Judge	DeAndrea G. Benjamin	Columbia, SC	1972	2023–present	—	—	Biden
57	Circuit Judge	Nicole Berner	Baltimore, MD	1965	2024–present	—	—	Biden
38	Senior Judge	Diana Gribbon Motz	inactive	1943	1994–2022	—	2022–present	Clinton
39	Senior Judge	William Byrd Traxler Jr.	Greenville, SC	1948	1998–2018	2009–2016	2018–present	Clinton
46	Senior Judge	Barbara Milano Keenan	Alexandria, VA	1950	2010–2021	—	2021–present	Obama
49	Senior Judge	Henry F. Floyd	Spartanburg, SC	1947	2011–2021	—	2021–present	Obama

· List of former judges

—

Judge

Hugh Lennox Bond

State

Born–died

1828–1893

Active service

1891–1893

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Grant / Operation of law

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Nathan Goff Jr.

State

Born–died

1843–1920

Active service

1892–1913

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

B. Harrison

Reason for termination

resignation

—

Judge

Charles Henry Simonton

State

Born–died

1829–1904

Active service

1893–1904

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Cleveland

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Jeter Connelly Pritchard

State

Born–died

1857–1921

Active service

1904–1921

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

T. Roosevelt

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Martin Augustine Knapp

State

Born–died

1843–1923

Active service

1916–1923

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Charles Albert Woods

State

Born–died

1852–1925

Active service

1913–1925

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Wilson

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Edmund Waddill Jr.

State

Born–died

1855–1931

Active service

1921–1931

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Harding

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

John Carter Rose

State

Born–died

1861–1927

Active service

1922–1927

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Harding

Reason for termination

death

1948–1958

Judge

John J. Parker

State

Born–died

1885–1958

Active service

1925–1958

Chief Judge

1948–1958

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Coolidge

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Elliott Northcott

State

Born–died

1869–1946

Active service

1927–1939

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1939–1946

Appointed by

Coolidge

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Morris Ames Soper

State

Born–died

1873–1963

Active service

1931–1955

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1955–1963

Appointed by

Hoover

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Armistead Mason Dobie

State

Born–died

1881–1962

Active service

1939–1956

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1956–1962

Appointed by

F. Roosevelt

Reason for termination

death

1958–1964

Judge

Simon Sobeloff

State

Born–died

1894–1973

Active service

1956–1970

Chief Judge

1958–1964

Senior status

1970–1973

Appointed by

Eisenhower

Reason for termination

death

1964–1981

Judge

Clement Haynsworth

State

Born–died

1912–1989

Active service

1957–1981

Chief Judge

1964–1981

Senior status

1981–1989

Appointed by

Eisenhower

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Herbert Boreman

State

Born–died

1897–1982

Active service

1959–1971

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1971–1982

Appointed by

Eisenhower

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Albert Vickers Bryan

State

Born–died

1899–1984

Active service

1961–1972

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1972–1984

Appointed by

Kennedy

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

J. Spencer Bell

State

Born–died

1906–1967

Active service

1961–1967

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Kennedy

Reason for termination

death

1981–1989

Judge

Harrison Lee Winter

State

Born–died

1921–1990

Active service

1966–1990

Chief Judge

1981–1989

Senior status

1990

Appointed by

L. Johnson

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

James Braxton Craven Jr.

State

Born–died

1918–1977

Active service

1966–1977

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

L. Johnson

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

John D. Butzner Jr.

State

Born–died

1917–2006

Active service

1967–1982

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1982–2006

Appointed by

L. Johnson

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Donald S. Russell

State

Born–died

1906–1998

Active service

1971–1998

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Nixon

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

John A. Field Jr.

State

Born–died

1910–1995

Active service

1971–1976

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1976–1995

Appointed by

Nixon

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Hiram Emory Widener Jr.

State

Born–died

1923–2007

Active service

1972–2007

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

2007

Appointed by

Nixon

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Kenneth Keller Hall

State

Born–died

1918–1999

Active service

1976–1998

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1998–1999

Appointed by

Ford

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

James Dickson Phillips Jr.

State

Born–died

1922–2017

Active service

1978–1994

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1994–2017

Appointed by

Carter

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Francis Murnaghan Jr.

State

Born–died

1920–2000

Active service

1979–2000

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Carter

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

James Marshall Sprouse

State

Born–died

1923–2004

Active service

1979–1992

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1992–1995

Appointed by

Carter

Reason for termination

retirement

1989–1996

Judge

Samuel James Ervin III

State

Born–died

1926–1999

Active service

1980–1999

Chief Judge

1989–1996

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Carter

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Robert F. Chapman

State

Born–died

1926–2018

Active service

1981–1991

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1991–2018

Appointed by

Reagan

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Emory M. Sneeden

State

Born–died

1927–1987

Active service

1984–1986

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Reagan

Reason for termination

resignation

2003–2007

Judge

William Walter Wilkins

State

Born–died

1942–present

Active service

1986–2007

Chief Judge

2003–2007

Senior status

2007–2008

Appointed by

Reagan

Reason for termination

retirement

—

Judge

Clyde H. Hamilton

State

Born–died

1934–2020

Active service

1991–1999

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

1999–2020

Appointed by

G . Bush

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

J. Michael Luttig

State

Born–died

1954–present

Active service

1991–2006

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

G . Bush

Reason for termination

resignation

2007–2009

Judge

Karen J. Williams

State

Born–died

1951–2013

Active service

1992–2009

Chief Judge

2007–2009

Senior status

2009–2013

Appointed by

G . Bush

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

M. Blane Michael

State

Born–died

1943–2011

Active service

1993–2011

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

—

Appointed by

Clinton

Reason for termination

death

—

Judge

Diana Gribbon Motz

State

Born–died

1943–present

Active service

1994–2022

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

2022-2024

Appointed by

Clinton

Reason for termination

retirement

—

Judge

Dennis Shedd

State

Born–died

1953–present

Active service

2002–2018

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

2018–2022

Appointed by

G . Bush

Reason for termination

retirement

—

Judge

Allyson K. Duncan

State

Born–died

1951–present

Active service

2003–2019

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

2019

Appointed by

G . Bush

Reason for termination

retirement

—

Judge

Andre M. Davis

State

Born–died

1949–present

Active service

2009–2014

Chief Judge

—

Senior status

2014–2017

Appointed by

Obama

Reason for termination

retirement

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Hugh Lennox Bond	MD	1828–1893	1891–1893	—	—	Grant / Operation of law	death
2	Nathan Goff Jr.	WV	1843–1920	1892–1913	—	—	B. Harrison	resignation
3	Charles Henry Simonton	SC	1829–1904	1893–1904	—	—	Cleveland	death
4	Jeter Connelly Pritchard	NC	1857–1921	1904–1921	—	—	T. Roosevelt	death
5	Martin Augustine Knapp	NY	1843–1923	1916–1923	—	—		death
6	Charles Albert Woods	SC	1852–1925	1913–1925	—	—	Wilson	death
7	Edmund Waddill Jr.	VA	1855–1931	1921–1931	—	—	Harding	death
8	John Carter Rose	MD	1861–1927	1922–1927	—	—	Harding	death
9	John J. Parker	NC	1885–1958	1925–1958	1948–1958	—	Coolidge	death
10	Elliott Northcott	WV	1869–1946	1927–1939	—	1939–1946	Coolidge	death
11	Morris Ames Soper	MD	1873–1963	1931–1955	—	1955–1963	Hoover	death
12	Armistead Mason Dobie	VA	1881–1962	1939–1956	—	1956–1962	F. Roosevelt	death
13	Simon Sobeloff	MD	1894–1973	1956–1970	1958–1964	1970–1973	Eisenhower	death
14	Clement Haynsworth	SC	1912–1989	1957–1981	1964–1981	1981–1989	Eisenhower	death
15	Herbert Boreman	WV	1897–1982	1959–1971	—	1971–1982	Eisenhower	death
16	Albert Vickers Bryan	VA	1899–1984	1961–1972	—	1972–1984	Kennedy	death
17	J. Spencer Bell	NC	1906–1967	1961–1967	—	—	Kennedy	death
18	Harrison Lee Winter	MD	1921–1990	1966–1990	1981–1989	1990	L. Johnson	death
19	James Braxton Craven Jr.	NC	1918–1977	1966–1977	—	—	L. Johnson	death
20	John D. Butzner Jr.	VA	1917–2006	1967–1982	—	1982–2006	L. Johnson	death
21	Donald S. Russell	SC	1906–1998	1971–1998	—	—	Nixon	death
22	John A. Field Jr.	WV	1910–1995	1971–1976	—	1976–1995	Nixon	death
23	Hiram Emory Widener Jr.	VA	1923–2007	1972–2007	—	2007	Nixon	death
24	Kenneth Keller Hall	WV	1918–1999	1976–1998	—	1998–1999	Ford	death
25	James Dickson Phillips Jr.	NC	1922–2017	1978–1994	—	1994–2017	Carter	death
26	Francis Murnaghan Jr.	MD	1920–2000	1979–2000	—	—	Carter	death
27	James Marshall Sprouse	WV	1923–2004	1979–1992	—	1992–1995	Carter	retirement
28	Samuel James Ervin III	NC	1926–1999	1980–1999	1989–1996	—	Carter	death
29	Robert F. Chapman	SC	1926–2018	1981–1991	—	1991–2018	Reagan	death
31	Emory M. Sneeden	NC	1927–1987	1984–1986	—	—	Reagan	resignation
32	William Walter Wilkins	SC	1942–present	1986–2007	2003–2007	2007–2008	Reagan	retirement
34	Clyde H. Hamilton	SC	1934–2020	1991–1999	—	1999–2020	G . Bush	death
35	J. Michael Luttig	VA	1954–present	1991–2006	—	—	G . Bush	resignation
36	Karen J. Williams	SC	1951–2013	1992–2009	2007–2009	2009–2013	G . Bush	death
37	M. Blane Michael	WV	1943–2011	1993–2011	—	—	Clinton	death
38	Diana Gribbon Motz	MD	1943–present	1994–2022	—	2022-2024	Clinton	retirement
42	Dennis Shedd	SC	1953–present	2002–2018	—	2018–2022	G . Bush	retirement
43	Allyson K. Duncan	NC	1951–present	2003–2019	—	2019	G . Bush	retirement
45	Andre M. Davis	MD	1949–present	2009–2014	—	2014–2017	Obama	retirement

· Chief judges

Parker

Chief Judge

Parker

Chief Judge

1948–1958

Sobeloff

Chief Judge

Sobeloff

Chief Judge

1958–1964

Haynsworth

Chief Judge

Haynsworth

Chief Judge

1964–1981

Winter

Chief Judge

Winter

Chief Judge

1981–1989

Ervin III

Chief Judge

Ervin III

Chief Judge

1989–1996

Wilkinson III

Chief Judge

Wilkinson III

Chief Judge

1996–2003

Wilkins

Chief Judge

Wilkins

Chief Judge

2003–2007

Williams

Chief Judge

Williams

Chief Judge

2007–2009

Traxler, Jr.

Chief Judge

Traxler, Jr.

Chief Judge

2009–2016

Gregory

Chief Judge

Gregory

Chief Judge

2016–2023

Diaz

Chief Judge

Diaz

Chief Judge

2023–present

Chief Judge
Parker	1948–1958
Sobeloff	1958–1964
Haynsworth	1964–1981
Winter	1981–1989
Ervin III	1989–1996
Wilkinson III	1996–2003
Wilkins	2003–2007
Williams	2007–2009
Traxler, Jr.	2009–2016
Gregory	2016–2023
Diaz	2023–present

Established on December 10, 1869 by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Fourth Circuit

Seat 1

Established on December 10, 1869 by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Fourth Circuit

Reassigned on June 16, 1891 to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891

Seat 1

Reassigned on June 16, 1891 to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891

Bond

Seat 1

Bond

Seat 1

1891–1893

Simonton

Seat 1

Simonton

Seat 1

1893–1904

Pritchard

Seat 1

Pritchard

Seat 1

1904–1921

Waddill, Jr.

Seat 1

Waddill, Jr.

Seat 1

1921–1931

Soper

Seat 1

Soper

Seat 1

1932–1955

Sobeloff

Seat 1

Sobeloff

Seat 1

1956–1970

Russell

Seat 1

Russell

Seat 1

1971–1998

Traxler, Jr.

Seat 1

Traxler, Jr.

Seat 1

1998–2018

Quattlebaum, Jr.

Seat 1

Quattlebaum, Jr.

Seat 1

2018–present

Seat 1
Established on December 10, 1869 by the Judiciary Act of 1869 as a circuit judgeship for the Fourth Circuit
Reassigned on June 16, 1891 to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit by the Judiciary Act of 1891
Bond	MD	1891–1893
Simonton	SC	1893–1904
Pritchard	NC	1904–1921
Waddill, Jr.	VA	1921–1931
Soper	MD	1932–1955
Sobeloff	MD	1956–1970
Russell	SC	1971–1998
Traxler, Jr.	SC	1998–2018
Quattlebaum, Jr.	SC	2018–present

Established on June 16, 1891 by the Judiciary Act of 1891

Seat 2

Established on June 16, 1891 by the Judiciary Act of 1891

Goff, Jr.

Seat 2

Goff, Jr.

Seat 2

1892–1913

Woods

Seat 2

Woods

Seat 2

1913–1925

Parker

Seat 2

Parker

Seat 2

1925–1958

Boreman

Seat 2

Boreman

Seat 2

1959–1971

Field, Jr.

Seat 2

Field, Jr.

Seat 2

1971–1976

Hall

Seat 2

Hall

Seat 2

1976–1998

King

Seat 2

King

Seat 2

1998–present

Seat 2
Established on June 16, 1891 by the Judiciary Act of 1891
Goff, Jr.	WV	1892–1913
Woods	SC	1913–1925
Parker	NC	1925–1958
Boreman	WV	1959–1971
Field, Jr.	WV	1971–1976
Hall	WV	1976–1998
King	WV	1998–present

References

Recess appointment by Bill Clinton on December 27, 2000, re-nominated by George W. Bush on May 9, 2001 and confirmed by
Under the original Judiciary Act of 1789 and subsequent acts, the justices of the Supreme Court of the United States in
Official website of the Federal Judicial Center
https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov
Official website of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/judges
Bond was appointed as a circuit judge for the Fourth Circuit in 1870 by Ulysses S. Grant. The Judiciary Act of 1891 reas
Knapp did not have a permanent seat on this court. Instead, he was appointed to the ill-fated United States Commerce Cou
Recess appointment, confirmed by the United States Senate at a later date.
28 U . § 45
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/45
62 Stat. 871, 72 Stat. 497, 96 Stat. 51
https://legislink.org/us/stat-62-871
Unpublished Appellate Opinions Are Still Commonplace
Virginia Law Review
https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0042-6601
The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/09/magazine/the-power-of-the-fourth.html