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Tilman E. Self III

From Ballotpedia
Tilman E. Self
United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Tenure
2018 - Present
Years in position
7
Prior offices:
Georgia Court of Appeals
Years in office: 2007 - 2018
Education
Bachelor's
The Military College of South Carolina, 1990
Law
University of Georgia School of Law, 1997
Personal
Birthplace
Macon-Bibb County, GA
Contact

Tilman E. "Tripp" Self III is a judge on theUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. He was nominated to the court by PresidentDonald Trump (R) on July 13, 2017, and confirmed by theU.S. Senate on March 5, 2018, by a vote of 85-11.[1] To see a full list of judges appointed byDonald Trump,click here.

TheUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia is one of 94U.S. District Courts. They are the generaltrial courts of theUnited States federal courts. To learn more about the court,click here.

Self was a judge on theGeorgia Court of Appeals from 2017 to 2018. Before that, he was a superior court judge on theMacon Circuit inGeorgia, from 2007 to 2016.[2]

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia (2018-present)

See also:Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

Self was nominated to theUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia by PresidentDonald Trump (R) on July 13, 2017. TheU.S. Senate confirmed Self on March 5, 2018, by a vote of 85-11.[1] He received commission on March 7, 2018.[2] To read more about the federal nomination process,click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Tilman Eugene Self III
Court:United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Progress
Confirmed 235 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: July 13, 2017
ApprovedAABA Rating:Unanimously Well Qualified
Questionnaire:Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: October 4, 2017
QFRs:QFRs(Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: October 26, 2017 
ApprovedAConfirmed: March 5, 2018
ApprovedAVote: 85-11


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Self on March 5, 2018, on a vote of 85-11.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website,click here.

Self confirmation vote (March 5, 2018)
PartyYeaNayNo vote
Electiondot.pngDemocratic37100
Ends.pngRepublican4704
Grey.png Independent110
Total85114

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Self had his hearing before theSenate Judiciary Committee on October 4, 2017. The committee voted to advance Self's nomination to the full Senate on October 26, 2017.[1]

Nomination

Self was nominated to replace JudgeAshley Royal, who assumedsenior status on September 1, 2016.[3]

TheAmerican Bar Association unanimously rated Selfwell qualified for the position.[4] To read more about ABA ratings,click here.

Georgia Court of Appeals (2017-2018)

See also:Judges appointed by Nathan Deal

Self was a judge on theGeorgia Court of Appeals from 2017 to 2018.[2] He was nominated by GovernorNathan Deal (R) in 2016 to succeedNels Peterson, who was appointed to theGeorgia Supreme Court.[5]

Superior Court of Georgia, Macon Judicial Circuit (2007-2016)

Self was a superior court judge on theMacon Circuit from 2007 to 2016. He was first elected in 2006. Self served as chief judge from 2014 to 2016.Cite error: Closing</ref> missing for<ref> tag

2014 election

See also:Georgia judicial elections, 2014

Self ran for re-election to theMacon Judicial Circuit. He won without opposition in the general election on May 20, 2014.[6][7]

2010 election

See also:Georgia judicial elections, 2010

Self was re-elected to theMacon Circuit after running unopposed.[8][9]

Education

Self received his undergraduate degree from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, and hisJ.D. from the University of Georgia. He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1997.[10]

Professional career

Approach to the law

During his 2006 election campaign, Self commented inThe Georgia Informer,

I understand that I work for the community, not the other way around. I will be accessible to the public and accountable to the people.[11][12]
—Tilman E. Self III

Noteworthy events

Federal judges sign letter regarding hiring Columbia University students (2024)

On May 6, 2024, Self and 12 other federal judges signed a letter to Columbia University saying they would not hire undergraduates or law students from the university, beginning with the entering class of 2024.[13]

In the letter, the judges said, "As judges who hire law clerks every year to serve in the federal judiciary, we have lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education."[14]

They signed the letter in the context of student demonstrations at Columbia University over the Israel-Hamas War. The students who participated in the demonstrations demanded that the university divest all of its finances from "companies and institutions that profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."[15]

The judges said they believed the university should institute consequences for faculty and students who participated in the demonstrations. They also called on the university to practice "neutrality and nondiscrimination in the protection of freedom of speech" and "viewpoint diversity on the faculty and across the administration."[14]

The Washington Post reported that Dean of Columbia Law School Gillian Lester said in a statement that graduates are "consistently sought out by leading employers in the private and public sectors, including the judiciary." Lester did not directly address the letter.[13]


About the court

Middle District of Georgia
Eleventh Circuit
File:Georgia-middle.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 4
Judges: 4
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief:Leslie Abrams Gardner
Active judges:
Leslie Abrams Gardner,Clay Land,Tilman E. Self,Marc Thomas Treadwell

Senior judges:
C. Ashley Royal,Willie Sands


TheUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia is one of 94United States district courts. The district operates out of courthouses inMacon,Albany,Athens,Columbus, andValdosta. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit based in downtownAtlanta at the Elbert P. Tuttle Federal Courthouse.

The Counties of the Middle District of Georgia (click for larger map)

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

There are seven court divisions, each covering the following counties:

TheAlbany Division, coveringBaker,Calhoun,Dougherty,Early,Miller,Mitchell,Turner, andWorth counties.

TheAmericus Division, coveringBen Hill,Crisp,Dooly,Lee,Macon,Schley,Sumter,Terrell,Webster, andWilcox counties.

TheAthens Division, coveringClarke,Elbert,Franklin,Greene,Hart,Madison,Morgan,Oconee,Oglethorpe, andWalton counties.

TheColumbus Division, coveringChattahoochee,Clay,Harris,Marion,Muscogee,Quitman,Randolph,Stewart,Talbot, andTaylor counties.

TheMacon Division, coveringBaldwin,Bibb,Bleckley,Butts,Crawford,Hancock,Houston,Jasper,Jones,Lamar,Monroe,Peach,Pulaski,Putnam,Twiggs,Upson,Washington, andWilkinson counties.

TheThomasville Division, coveringBrooks,Colquitt,Decatur,Grady,Seminole, andThomas counties.

TheValdosta Division, coveringBerrien,Clinch,Cook,Echols,Irwin,Lanier,Lowndes, andTift counties.

To read opinions published by this court, clickhere.

See also

External links

Officeholder

United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

  • Website
  • Footnotes

    1. 1.01.11.21.3Congress.gov, "PN755 — Tilman Eugene Self III — The Judiciary," accessed July 20, 2020
    2. 2.02.12.2Federal Judicial Center, "Self, Tilman Eugene III," accessed July 20, 2020
    3. Federal Judicial Center, "Royal, C. Ashley," accessed April 21, 2020
    4. American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees, 115th Congress," accessed August 30, 2017
    5. Daily Report, "Deal Appoints Five New Appellate Judges," November 9, 2016
    6. Georgia Secretary of State, "2014 Qualifying Candidates List," accessed March 19, 2014
    7. Georgia Secretary of State, “Statewide Election Results,” May 20, 2014
    8. Georgia Secretary of State, "Non-Partisan Candidates on the November 2, 2010 General Election Ballot," archived July 24, 2012
    9. Georgia Secretary of State, "Superior Court Judge Race Results," November 2010
    10. Martindale, "Tilman E. Self, III profile," accessed March 7, 2013
    11. 11.011.1The Georgia Informer, "Tillman Self to Run For Superior Court," September 2006
    12. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    13. 13.013.1The Washington Post, "Conservative judges say they will boycott Columbia University students," May 7, 2024
    14. 14.014.1The Washington Post, "Letter to Columbia University," May 6, 2024
    15. Columbia University Apartheid Divest, "Demands," accessed May 14, 2024

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -
    United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
    2018-Present
    Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    -
    Georgia Court of Appeals
    2007-2018
    Succeeded by
    -
    Georgia-middle.gif
    v  e
    Federal judges who have served theUnited States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
    Active judges

    Chief JudgeLeslie Abrams Gardner  •  Clay Land  •  Tilman E. Self III  •  Marc Thomas Treadwell

    Senior judges

    Willie Sands  •  Ashley Royal  •  

    Magistrate judgesCharles Weigle  •  Thomas Langstaff  •  M. Stephen Hyles  •  
    Former Article III judges

    Hugh Lawson  •  Duross Fitzpatrick  •  Wilbur Owens  •  Bascom Sine Deaver  •  William Josiah Tilson  •  William Bootle  •  Abraham Conger  •  Thomas Davis (Georgia federal judge)  •  James Robert Elliott  •  

    Former Chief judges

    Hugh Lawson  •  Duross Fitzpatrick  •  Wilbur Owens  •  Willie Sands  •  Clay Land  •  William Bootle  •  Thomas Davis (Georgia federal judge)  •  James Robert Elliott  •  Marc Thomas Treadwell  •  


    Donald Trump
    v  e
    Federal judges nominated to Article III courts byDonald Trump
    2017

    Thomas ParkerElizabeth BranchNeil GorsuchAmul ThaparDavid C. NyeJohn K. BushKevin NewsomTimothy J. KellyRalph EricksonScott PalkTrevor McFaddenJoan LarsenAmy Coney BarrettAllison EidStephanos BibasDonald Coggins Jr.Dabney FriedrichGreg KatsasSteven GraszDon WillettJames HoWilliam L. Campbell Jr.David StrasTilman E. Self IIIKaren Gren ScholerTerry A. DoughtyClaria Horn BoomJohn BroomesRebecca Grady JenningsKyle DuncanKurt EngelhardtMichael B. BrennanJoel CarsonRobert WierFernando Rodriguez Jr.Annemarie Carney Axon

    2018

    Andrew OldhamAmy St. EveMichael ScudderJohn NalbandianMark BennettAndrew OldhamBritt GrantColm ConnollyMaryellen NoreikaJill OtakeJeffrey BeaverstockEmily Coody MarksHolly Lou TeeterJulius RichardsonCharles B. GoodwinBarry AsheStan BakerA. Marvin Quattlebaum Jr.Terry F. MoorerSusan BaxterWilliam JungAlan AlbrightDominic LanzaEric TostrudCharles WilliamsNancy E. BraselJames SweeneyKari A. DooleyMarilyn J. HoranRobert SummerhaysBrett KavanaughDavid PorterLiles BurkeMichael JuneauPeter PhippsLance WalkerRichard SullivanEli RichardsonRyan NelsonChad F. Kenney, Sr.Susan BrnovichWilliam M. Ray, IIJeremy KernodleThomas KleehJ.P. HanlonMark NorrisJonathan KobesMichael BrownDavid Counts

    2019

    Eric MillerChad ReadlerEric MurphyNeomi RaoPaul MateyAllison Jones RushingBridget S. BadeRoy AltmanPatrick WyrickHolly BradyDavid MoralesAndrew BrasherJ. Campbell BarkerRodolfo RuizDaniel DomenicoMichael TruncaleMichael ParkJoseph BiancoRaúl Arias-MarxuachDaniel CollinsJoshua WolsonWendy VitterKenneth Kiyul LeeKenneth BellStephen ClarkHoward NielsonRodney SmithJean-Paul BouleeSarah Daggett MorrisonRossie AlstonPamela A. BarkerCorey MazeGreg GuidryMatthew KacsmarykAllen WinsorCarl NicholsJames Cain, Jr.Tom BarberJ. Nicholas RanjanClifton L. CorkerPeter PhippsDaniel BressDamon LeichtyWendy W. BergerPeter WelteMichael LiburdiWilliam Shaw StickmanMark PittmanKarin J. ImmergutJason PulliamBrantley StarrBrian BuescherJames Wesley HendrixTimothy ReifMartha PacoldSean JordanMary RowlandJohn M. YoungeJeff BrownAda BrownSteven GrimbergStephanie A. GallagherSteven SeegerStephanie HainesMary McElroyDavid J. NovakFrank W. VolkCharles EskridgeRachel KovnerJustin WalkerT. Kent WetherellDanielle HunsakerLee RudofskyJennifer Philpott Wilson • William NardiniSteven MenashiRobert J. LuckEric KomiteeDouglas ColeJohn SinatraSarah PitlykBarbara LagoaRichard Myers IISherri LydonPatrick BumatayR. Austin Huffaker • Miller BakerAnuraag SinghalKaren MarstonJodi DishmanMary Kay VyskocilMatthew McFarlandJohn GallagherBernard JonesKea RiggsRobert J. ColvilleStephanie Dawkins DavisGary R. BrownDavid Barlow

    Lewis Liman
    2020

    Lawrence VanDykeDaniel TraynorJohn KnessJoshua KindredPhilip HalpernSilvia Carreno-CollScott RashJohn HeilAnna ManascoJohn L. BadalamentiDrew TiptonAndrew BrasherCory WilsonScott HardyDavid JosephMatthew SchelpJohn CronanJustin WalkerBrett H. LudwigChristy WiegandThomas CullenDiane GujaratiStanley BlumenfeldMark ScarsiJohn HolcombStephen P. McGlynnTodd RobinsonHala JarbouDavid DuganIain D. JohnstonFranklin U. ValderramaJohn HinderakerRoderick YoungMichael NewmanAileen CannonJames KneppKathryn Kimball Mizelle • Benjamin Beaton • Kristi JohnsonToby CrousePhilip CalabreseTaylor McNeelThomas KirschStephen VadenKatherine CrytzerFernando Aenlle-RochaCharles AtchleyJoseph Dawson

    2025

    Whitney HermandorferJoshua DivineCristian M. StevensZachary BluestoneEmil BoveEdward ArtauKyle DudekMaria LanahanJennifer MascottAnne-Leigh Gaylord MoeChad MeredithHarold MootyJordan PrattEdmund LaCourBill LewisEric TungRebecca TaiblesonJoshua D. DunlapBill MercerSusan RodriguezRobert ChamberlinMatthew OrsoDavid BragdonJimmy MaxwellLindsey FreemanWilliam J. Crain

    2026

    Alexander Van HookMegan BentonAaron Peterson