District of Massachusetts / Appointed 1979 / Served to 1998
David Sutherland Nelson
Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 and confirmed by voice vote, David Sutherland Nelson was a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He earned a law degree from Boston College Law School in 1960. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, March 21, 1979
- Appointed by
- Jimmy Carter, 1979
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- Boston College 1957 · Boston College Law School 1960
- Succeeded by
- Reginald C. Lindsay
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | District of Massachusetts | Carter (D) | voice |
A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.
Education
| Boston College | B.S. | 1957 |
| Boston College Law School | J.D. | 1960 |
Sources
19 years on the District of Massachusetts. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).