Who appointed James Earl Graves Jr.?

President Barack Obama appointed James Earl Graves Jr. to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in 2011.

Was James Earl Graves Jr. appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

James Earl Graves Jr. was appointed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was James Earl Graves Jr.'s confirmation vote?

James Earl Graves Jr. was confirmed by voice vote on February 14, 2011. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.

Fifth Circuit / Appointed 2011 / Active

James Earl Graves Jr.

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

Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2011 and confirmed by voice vote, James Earl Graves Jr. is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He earned a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1980. Sources ↓

Born: 1953 · age 73
Appointed by: Barack Obama, 2011
Confirmed: by voice vote
Education: Millsaps College 1975 · Syracuse College of Law 1980
Succeeded: Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale

Federal judicial service

Year	Court	Appointed by	Vote
2011	Fifth Circuit succeeded Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale	Obama (D)	Voice vote

Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own. A voice vote means the chamber approved aloud. No senator-by-senator tally is recorded.

Confirmation vote

Voice vote

The Senate approved this confirmation aloud, with no senator-by-senator tally recorded. Recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989.

Education

Millsaps College	B.A.	1975
Syracuse University College of Law	J.D.	1980
Syracuse University	M.P.A.	1981

Questions & answers

Who appointed James Earl Graves Jr.?: President Barack Obama appointed James Earl Graves Jr. to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in 2011.
Was James Earl Graves Jr. appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?: James Earl Graves Jr. was appointed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was James Earl Graves Jr.'s confirmation vote?: James Earl Graves Jr. was confirmed by voice vote on February 14, 2011. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
Which court is James Earl Graves Jr. on?: James Earl Graves Jr. is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Sources

Each fact on this page traces to a primary public record.

How we source & reconcile data → Data & Sources

See something wrong? Report an error. Fixes are logged in the corrections log.

15 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Data as of 2026-08-10. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).