Third Circuit / Appointed 1931 / Served to 1946

Joseph Whitaker Thompson

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

Appointed by President Herbert Hoover in 1931 and confirmed by voice vote, Joseph Whitaker Thompson was a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He earned a law degree from University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) in 1887. He previously served on the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, January 22, 1931

Appointed by
Herbert Hoover, 1931
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School (now Carey Law School) 1887
Succeeded by
William Clark
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1912Eastern District of Pennsylvania · succeeded John Bayard McPhersonTaft (R)voice
1931Third CircuitHoover (R)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

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