James Peterson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Peterson in 2014 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin | |
| Assumed office April 26, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | William M. Conley |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin | |
| Assumed office May 12, 2014 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | John C. Shabaz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Donald Peterson (1957-08-18)August 18, 1957 (age 68) Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | University of Wisconsin, Madison (BS,MA,PhD,JD) |
James Donald Peterson (born August 18, 1957) is an American lawyer who serves as thechief United States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Peterson was born on August 18, 1957.[1] He received hisBachelor of Science degree in 1979,Master of Arts degree in 1984 andDoctor of Philosophy in 1986 from theUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison. After graduation, he was a faculty member at theUniversity of Notre Dame, where he taught film and television history. He received hisJuris Doctor in 1998 from theUniversity of Wisconsin Law School, graduatingOrder of the Coif. He served as alaw clerk for JudgeDavid G. Deininger of theWisconsin Court of Appeals from 1998 to 1999. From 1999 to 2014, he had been a shareholder at theWisconsin law firm of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., where he was a member of the litigation and intellectual property practice groups and led the firm's intellectual property litigation working group. Additionally, he served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he taught copyright law.[2][3][4]
On November 7, 2013, PresidentBarack Obama nominated Peterson to serve as a United States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, to the seat vacated by JudgeJohn C. Shabaz, who assumedsenior status on January 20, 2009.[5] On February 6, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee by avoice vote, with 2 senators recorded as “no”.[6] Cloture was filed on his nomination on May 6, 2014.[7] On May 8, 2014, theUnited States Senate invokedcloture on his nomination by a 56–40 vote.[8] Later the day, his nomination was confirmed by a 70–24 vote.[9] He received his judicial commission on May 12, 2014. He became chief judge on April 26, 2017.[4]
Peterson ruled in favor of Steven Anderegg, a defendant accused of usingAI to create obscene images of minors, then messaging them to a teenage boy onInstagram. He dismissed a charge in opposition tofederal law, ruling that Anderegg has a constitutional, first amendment right to privately possess virtual child sexual assault material.[10]
Media related toJames D. Peterson at Wikimedia Commons
Works by or aboutJames D. Peterson atWikisource| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 2014–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin 2017–present | |
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