Cory Wilson

Nonpartisan

United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit

Tenure

2020 - Present

Years in position

5

Prior offices:

Mississippi Court of Appeals District 3 Position 2

Years in office: 2019 - 2020

---

Mississippi House of Representatives District 73

Years in office: 2016 - 2019

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2015

Education

Bachelor's

University of Mississippi, 1992

Law

Yale Law School, 1995

Personal

Birthplace

Pascagoula, MS

Cory Todd Wilson is a judge on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He was nominated by PresidentDonald Trump (R) on May 4, 2020, and confirmed by theU.S. Senate on June 24, 2020, on a 52-48 vote. The president had previously nominated Wilson to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Mississippi. To see a full list of judges appointed byDonald Trump,click here.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is one of 13U.S. courts of appeal. They are the intermediateappellate courts of theUnited States federal courts. The U.S. District Court for the District of Mississippi is one of 94U.S. District Courts. They are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. To learn more about the courts,click here.

Wilson was a judge on theMississippi Court of Appeals (District 3, Position 2) from 2019 to 2020. He is also a formerRepublican member of theMississippi House of Representatives, representingDistrict 73 from 2016 to 2019.

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (2020-present)

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On May 4, 2020, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Wilson to a seat on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He was confirmed by theU.S. Senate on June 24, 2020, on a 52-48 vote.^[1] Wilson received his judicial commission on July 3, 2020.^[2] To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
Name: Cory Wilson
Court:United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Progress
Confirmed 51 days after nomination.
ANominated: May 4, 2020
AABA Rating:Majority well qualified / Minority qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
AHearing: May 20, 2020
QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)
AReported: June 11, 2020
AConfirmed: June 24, 2020
AVote: 52-48

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Wilson on June 24, 2020, on a vote of 52-48.^[1] Sen.Susan Collins (R-Maine) was the only Republican to vote against confirming Wilson. To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Wilson confirmation vote (June 24, 2020)
Party	Yea	Nay	No vote
Democratic	0	45	0
Republican	52	1	0
Independent	0	2	0
Total	52	48	0

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Wilson had his hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee on May 20, 2020.^[3] During the hearing, Democratic senators questioned comments Wilson made in newspapers and on social media about theAffordable Care Act (ACA). SenatorMazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) asked Wilson, "Did you call the passage of the Affordable Care Act 'perverse' and 'illegitimate' and say that (you) 'hope the court' — you meant the Supreme Court — 'strikes down the law?'" Wilson responded that as a judge, he would follow U.S. Supreme Court precedent upholding the ACA and would put aside past comments about Democrats.^[4]

On June 11, 2020, the committee voted 12-10 to advance Wilson's nomination to the full Senate.^[5]

Nomination

On March 30, 2020, PresidentDonald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Wilson to a seat on theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.^[6] The president officially nominated Wilson on May 4.^[1]

Wilson was nominated to succeed JudgeGrady Jolly, who assumedsenior status on October 3, 2017.

Mississippi Sens.Roger Wicker (R) andCindy Hyde-Smith (R) supported Wilson's nomination. In a statement, Hyde-Smith said, "The elevation of Judge Cory Wilson’s nomination to the Circuit Court of Appeals reflects President Trump’s confidence in Cory’s conservative judicial philosophy, legal knowledge, academic and public service."^[7]

TheAmerican Bar Association rated Wilsonwell qualified by a majority andqualified by a minority.^[8] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, nomination (2019-2020)

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On October 15, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) nominated Wilson to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Mississippi.^[9][10] The nomination was withdrawn on May 4, 2020. To read more about the federal nominations process,click here.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Wilson had his hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee on January 8, 2020.^[11]

Nomination

On August 28, 2019, PresidentDonald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Wilson to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Mississippi.^[12] The president officially submitted the nomination October 15, 2019.^[9]

The nomination was returned to the president at thesine die adjournment of theU.S. Senate on January 3, 2020.^[13] The president officially renominated Wilson on January 6.^[14] The nomination was withdrawn on May 4, 2020.^[10]

Wilson was nominated to replace JudgeLouis Guirola, who assumedsenior status on March 23, 2018.^[9]

TheAmerican Bar Association unanimously rated Wilsonqualified for the position.^[15] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

Mississippi Court of Appeals (2019-2020)

See also:Judges appointed by Phil Bryant

Wilson became the District 3, Position 2 judge on theMississippi Court of Appeals in February 2019. He was appointed by Gov.Phil Bryant (R) on December 19, 2018, to replace JudgeT. Kenneth Griffis.^[16] Wilson left the position after his confirmation to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on June 24, 2020.

Early life and education

Wilson was born in 1970 inPascagoula, Mississippi. He graduatedsumma cum laude with a bachelor's of business administration (B.B.A.) from the University of Mississippi in 1992. He received hisJ.D. from Yale Law School in 1995.^[17][18] During his legal studies, Wilson served on theYale Law Journal.^[19]

Professional career

• 2020-present: Judge,United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• 2019-2020: Judge,Mississippi Court of Appeals (District 3, Position 2)
• 2016-2019: Member,Mississippi House of Representatives (District 73)
• 2014-2015: Senior advisor and counsel,Mississippi TreasurerLynn Fitch (R)
• 2008-2011: Chief of staff,Mississippi Secretary of StateDelbert Hosemann (R)
• 2005-2006: White House Fellow, U.S. Department of Defense
• 2001-2008: Partner, Bradley Arant Rose & White
• 1996-2001: Attorney, Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A.^[20]

After graduating from law school, Wilson was a law clerk to JudgeEmmett Cox of theUnited States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.^[12]

Elections

2015

See also:Mississippi House of Representatives elections, 2015

Elections for theMississippi House of Representatives took place in 2015. A primary election was held on August 4, 2015. The general election took place onNovember 3, 2015. Thesignature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 27, 2015.^[21] No Democratic candidates filed for election.Cory Wilson was unopposed in the Republican primary. Wilson ran unchallenged in the District 73 general election.

Awards and associations

Awards

• 2006: Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service/Citation
• 2004, 2003: National Presidential Achievement Award, Federal Bar Association, Mississippi Chapter

Associations

• Member, Mississippi Bar Association
• Member, Madison County Bar Association
• Member, American Inns of Court, Charles Clark Chapter
• Member,The Federalist Society, Mississippi Chapter
• Former member, Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions
  • Character & Fitness Review Committee
• Former member, Capital Area Bar Association
• Former member, Federal Bar Association, Mississippi Chapter
  • 2003-2004: National delegate
  • 2002-2003: President
  • 2001-2002: President-elect
  • 2000-2001: Treasurer;
  • 1999-2000: Secretary
• Former member, Defense Research Institute
• Former member, Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association
• Former member, Jackson Young Lawyers
  • 2004-2005: Chairman, Pro Bono Committee
  • 2001-2002: Chairman, Bench and Bar Committee
• Former member, American.Bar Association
• Former member, The Federalist Society, Yale Chapter^[19]

About the court

5th Circuit

Fifth Circuit
Court of Appeals
Judgeships
Posts: 17
Judges: 17
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Jennifer Elrod
Active judges: Dana Douglas,Stuart Kyle Duncan,Jennifer Elrod,Kurt Engelhardt,James Graves,Catharina Haynes,Stephen Higginson,James C. Ho,Edith Jones,Andrew Oldham,Irma Ramirez,Priscilla Richman,Jerry Smith,Leslie Southwick,Carl Stewart,Don Willett,Cory Wilson Senior judges: Rhesa Barksdale,Fortunato Benavides,Edith Clement,W. Eugene Davis,James Dennis,Patrick Higginbotham,E. Grady Jolly,Carolyn King,Jacques Wiener

TheUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is afederal appellate court with appellatejurisdiction. It hears appeals from all of the circuit courts within its jurisdiction and its rulings may be appealed to theSupreme Court of the United States. Appeals are heard in the John Minor Wisdom U.S. Courthouse inNew Orleans, Louisiana.

The Fifth Circuit hasappellate jurisdiction over cases heard in one of its subsidiary districts. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law. Appeals of rulings by theFifth Circuit Court of Appeals are petitioned to theSupreme Court of the United States. JusticeSamuel Alito is thecircuit justice for theFifth Circuit.

The United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has appellatejurisdiction over thedistrict courts in the followingdistricts:

• Eastern District of Louisiana
• Middle District of Louisiana
• Western District of Louisiana
• Northern District of Mississippi
• Southern District of Mississippi
• Eastern District of Texas
• Northern District of Texas
• Southern District of Texas
• Western District of Texas

Southern District of Mississippi

Southern District of Mississippi
Fifth Circuit
Judgeships
Posts: 6
Judges: 6
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Halil Ozerden
Active judges:Kristi Haskins Johnson,Daniel Jordan,Taylor McNeel,Halil Ozerden,Carlton W. Reeves,Henry Wingate Senior judges: David Bramlette,Louis Guirola,Tom Lee,Keith Starrett

TheUnited States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi is one of 94United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based in downtownNew Orleans at theJohn Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.

The Southern District of Mississippi has six authorized judicial posts. The chief judge of the court isDaniel Jordan, who was appointed byGeorge W. Bush (R). Two judges on the court were appointed byDonald Trump (R).

The Southern District of Mississippi hasoriginal jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Southern District of Mississippi consists of all the followingcounties in the southern part of the state ofMississippi.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

• The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
• The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by theSenate Judiciary Committee.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.

• As part of this process, the committee sends ablue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.

• After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.

• If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
• If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.

• The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.

• If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
• If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.

State legislative tenure

Sponsored legislation

Scorecards

See also:State legislative scorecards andState legislative scorecards in Mississippi

Ascorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Mississippi scorecards, email suggestions toeditor@ballotpedia.org.

2018

In 2018, theMississippi State Legislature was in session from January 2 through March 28.

• ACLU Mississippi

Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice."

• Business and Industry Political Education Committee

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

2016

See also

• United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
• Mississippi Court of Appeals
• Courts in Mississippi
• Mississippi Legislature

External links

Suggest a link

• Biography from theFederal Judicial Center
• Profile from the Mississippi Court of Appeals
• LinkedIn profile
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
• Mississippi Court of Appeals
• Mississippi State Legislature

Footnotes

v • e Federal judges who have served theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Active judges	Chief Judge: Jennifer Elrod  •  Don Willett  •  James Graves  •  Carl Stewart  •  Edith Jones  •  Leslie Southwick  •  Priscilla Richman  •  Catharina Haynes  •  Jerry Edwin Smith (Fifth Circuit)  •  Kurt Engelhardt  •  Irma Ramirez  •  Stephen Higginson  •  Cory Wilson  •  Stuart Kyle Duncan  •  James Ho  •  Andrew Oldham  •  Dana Douglas
Senior judges	James Dennis  •  Carolyn King  •  Patrick Higginbotham  •  Edith Clement  •  Fortunato Benavides  •  Jacques Wiener  •  W. Eugene Davis  •  Grady Jolly  •  Rhesa Barksdale  •
Former judges	John Minor Wisdom  •  Edward Harris  •  Peter Fay  •  John Godbold  •  Robert Lanier Anderson  •  Phyllis Kravitch  •  Gerald Tjoflat  •  Joseph Hatchett  •  Albert Henderson  •  Paul Roney  •  David Dyer  •  Elbert Tuttle  •  Thomas Clark (Eleventh Circuit)  •  Richard Rives  •  Robert Vance  •  Lewis Morgan  •  James Hill (Federal judge)  •  Andrew Phelps McCormick  •  Don Albert Pardee  •  Thomas Reavley  •  John Duhe  •  Harold DeMoss  •  Edward Prado  •  Robert Madden Hill  •  Alvin Rubin  •  Henry Politz  •  Reynaldo Garza  •  Albert Tate, Jr.  •  Jerre Williams  •  Robert Parker  •  Charles Pickering  •  David Davie Shelby  •  Rufus Edward Foster  •  Robert Lynn Batts  •  Nathan Philemon Bryan  •  Edwin Ruthven Holmes  •  Joseph Chappell Hutcheson Jr.  •  Alexander Campbell King  •  Samuel Hale Sibley  •  Claude Feemster Clayton  •  Richard Wilde Walker  •  Wayne Borah  •  Louie Willard Strum  •  Irving Goldberg  •  Leon McCord  •  Warren Leroy Jones  •  Robert Ainsworth  •  Joe Ingraham  •  William Thornberry  •  George Carswell  •  Curtis Waller  •  Griffin Bell  •  John Robert Brown (Federal judge)  •  Benjamin Cameron  •  James Coleman (federal judge)  •  Thomas Gee  •  Walter Gewin  •  Samuel Johnson  •  Elmo Lee  •  John Bryan Simpson  •  Frank M. Johnson, Jr.  •  Charles Clark (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit)  •  Robert Lee Russell (Federal judge)  •  Gregg Costa  •
Former Chief judges	John Godbold  •  Elbert Tuttle  •  Richard Rives  •  Carl Stewart  •  Carolyn King  •  Priscilla Richman  •  Henry Politz  •  Joseph Chappell Hutcheson Jr.  •  John Robert Brown (Federal judge)  •  James Coleman (federal judge)  •  Charles Clark (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit)  •

v • e Federal judges nominated to Article III courts byDonald Trump
2017	Thomas Parker •Elizabeth Branch •Neil Gorsuch •Amul Thapar •David C. Nye •John K. Bush •Kevin Newsom •Timothy J. Kelly •Ralph Erickson •Scott Palk •Trevor McFadden •Joan Larsen •Amy Coney Barrett •Allison Eid •Stephanos Bibas •Donald Coggins Jr. •Dabney Friedrich •Greg Katsas •Steven Grasz •Don Willett •James Ho •William L. Campbell Jr. •David Stras •Tilman E. Self III •Karen Gren Scholer •Terry A. Doughty •Claria Horn Boom •John Broomes •Rebecca Grady Jennings •Kyle Duncan •Kurt Engelhardt •Michael B. Brennan •Joel Carson •Robert Wier •Fernando Rodriguez Jr. •Annemarie Carney Axon •
2018	Andrew Oldham •Amy St. Eve •Michael Scudder •John Nalbandian •Mark Bennett •Andrew Oldham •Britt Grant •Colm Connolly •Maryellen Noreika •Jill Otake •Jeffrey Beaverstock •Emily Coody Marks •Holly Lou Teeter •Julius Richardson •Charles B. Goodwin •Barry Ashe •Stan Baker •A. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr. •Terry F. Moorer •Susan Baxter •William Jung •Alan Albright •Dominic Lanza •Eric Tostrud •Charles Williams •Nancy E. Brasel •James Sweeney •Kari A. Dooley •Marilyn J. Horan •Robert Summerhays •Brett Kavanaugh •David Porter •Liles Burke •Michael Juneau •Peter Phipps •Lance Walker •Richard Sullivan •Eli Richardson •Ryan Nelson •Chad F. Kenney, Sr. •Susan Brnovich •William M. Ray, II •Jeremy Kernodle •Thomas Kleeh •J.P. Hanlon •Mark Norris •Jonathan Kobes •Michael Brown •David Counts
2019	Eric Miller •Chad Readler •Eric Murphy •Neomi Rao •Paul Matey •Allison Jones Rushing •Bridget S. Bade •Roy Altman •Patrick Wyrick •Holly Brady •David Morales •Andrew Brasher •J. Campbell Barker •Rodolfo Ruiz •Daniel Domenico •Michael Truncale •Michael Park •Joseph Bianco •Raúl Arias-Marxuach •Daniel Collins •Joshua Wolson •Wendy Vitter •Kenneth Kiyul Lee •Kenneth Bell •Stephen Clark •Howard Nielson •Rodney Smith •Jean-Paul Boulee •Sarah Daggett Morrison •Rossie Alston •Pamela A. Barker •Corey Maze •Greg Guidry •Matthew Kacsmaryk •Allen Winsor •Carl Nichols •James Cain, Jr. •Tom Barber •J. Nicholas Ranjan •Clifton L. Corker •Peter Phipps •Daniel Bress •Damon Leichty •Wendy W. Berger •Peter Welte •Michael Liburdi •William Shaw Stickman •Mark Pittman •Karin J. Immergut •Jason Pulliam •Brantley Starr •Brian Buescher •James Wesley Hendrix •Timothy Reif •Martha Pacold •Sean Jordan •Mary Rowland •John M. Younge •Jeff Brown •Ada Brown •Steven Grimberg •Stephanie A. Gallagher •Steven Seeger •Stephanie Haines •Mary McElroy •David J. Novak •Frank W. Volk •Charles Eskridge •Rachel Kovner •Justin Walker •T. Kent Wetherell •Danielle Hunsaker •Lee Rudofsky •Jennifer Philpott Wilson • William Nardini •Steven Menashi •Robert J. Luck •Eric Komitee •Douglas Cole •John Sinatra •Sarah Pitlyk •Barbara Lagoa •Richard Myers II •Sherri Lydon •Patrick Bumatay •R. Austin Huffaker • Miller Baker •Anuraag Singhal •Karen Marston •Jodi Dishman •Mary Kay Vyskocil •Matthew McFarland •John Gallagher •Bernard Jones •Kea Riggs •Robert J. Colville •Stephanie Dawkins Davis •Gary R. Brown •David Barlow • Lewis Liman
2020	Lawrence VanDyke •Daniel Traynor •John Kness •Joshua Kindred •Philip Halpern •Silvia Carreno-Coll •Scott Rash •John Heil •Anna Manasco •John L. Badalamenti •Drew Tipton •Andrew Brasher •Cory Wilson •Scott Hardy •David Joseph •Matthew Schelp •John Cronan •Justin Walker •Brett H. Ludwig •Christy Wiegand •Thomas Cullen •Diane Gujarati •Stanley Blumenfeld •Mark Scarsi •John Holcomb •Stephen P. McGlynn •Todd Robinson •Hala Jarbou •David Dugan •Iain D. Johnston •Franklin U. Valderrama •John Hinderaker •Roderick Young •Michael Newman •Aileen Cannon •James Knepp •Kathryn Kimball Mizelle • Benjamin Beaton • Kristi Johnson •Toby Crouse •Philip Calabrese •Taylor McNeel •Thomas Kirsch •Stephen Vaden •Katherine Crytzer •Fernando Aenlle-Rocha •Charles Atchley •Joseph Dawson
2025	Whitney Hermandorfer •Joshua Divine •Cristian M. Stevens •Zachary Bluestone •Emil Bove •Edward Artau •Kyle Dudek•Maria Lanahan•Jennifer Mascott•Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe•Chad Meredith•Harold Mooty•Jordan Pratt•Edmund LaCour•Bill Lewis•Eric Tung•Rebecca Taibleson•Joshua D. Dunlap•Bill Mercer•Susan Rodriguez•Robert Chamberlin•Matthew Orso•David Bragdon•Jimmy Maxwell•Lindsey Freeman•William J. Crain
2026	Alexander Van Hook•Megan Benton•Aaron Peterson

v • e Mississippi Court of Appeals Judicial selection in Mississippi •2026 elections •Mississippi Supreme Court
Current
Former	Ceola James  •  Leslie King  •  Joseph Lee  •  William Myers  •  T. Kenneth Griffis  •  David Ishee  •  Larry Roberts (Mississippi)  •  Eugene Fair  •  Jimmy Maxwell  •  Ermea Russell  •  Sean Tindell  •  Cory Wilson  •  Jim Greenlee  •