Sixth Circuit / Appointed 2002 / Senior status

Julia Smith Gibbons

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

Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002 and confirmed by the Senate 950, Julia Smith Gibbons is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She earned a law degree from University of Virginia School of Law in 1975. She previously served on the Western District of Tennessee.Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, July 29, 2002

Appointed by
George W. Bush, 2002
Confirmed
95–0
Education
Vanderbilt 1972 · University of Virginia Law 1975
Succeeded by
Kevin Gafford Ritz
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1983Western District of Tennessee · succeeded Harry Walker WellfordReagan (R)voice
2002Sixth Circuit · succeeded Gilbert Stroud Merritt Jr.Bush (R)95–0

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

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