Fourth Circuit / Appointed 1961 / Served to 1967

J. Spencer Bell

Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Appointed by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and confirmed by voice vote, J. Spencer Bell was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He earned a law degree from University of North Carolina School of Law in 1930. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, September 23, 1961

Appointed by
John F. Kennedy, 1961
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
Duke 1927 · University of North Carolina Law 1930
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1961Fourth CircuitKennedy (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
Sources

5 years on the Fourth Circuit. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).