Fourth Circuit / Appointed 1978 / Served to 2017

James Dickson Phillips Jr.

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

Appointed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 and confirmed by voice vote, James Dickson Phillips Jr. 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 1948. Sources ↓

Lived
1922–2017
Appointed by
Jimmy Carter, 1978
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
Davidson College 1943 · University of North Carolina Law 1948

Federal judicial service

YearCourtAppointed byVote
1978Fourth CircuitCarter (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

Questions & answers

Who appointed James Dickson Phillips Jr.?
President Jimmy Carter appointed James Dickson Phillips Jr. to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in 1978.
Was James Dickson Phillips Jr. appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?
James Dickson Phillips Jr. was appointed by President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was James Dickson Phillips Jr.'s confirmation vote?
James Dickson Phillips Jr. was confirmed by voice vote on August 11, 1978. No senator-by-senator tally was recorded.
Which court was James Dickson Phillips Jr. on?
James Dickson Phillips Jr. was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Sources

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