Fifth Circuit / Appointed 1990 / Senior status

Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale

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

Appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and confirmed by voice vote, Rhesa Hawkins Barksdale is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He earned a law degree from University of Mississippi School of Law in 1972. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, March 9, 1990

Appointed by
George H.W. Bush, 1990
Confirmed
by voice vote
Education
U.S. Military Academy 1966 · University of Mississippi Law 1972
Federal judicial service
YearCourtAppointed byVote
1990Fifth Circuit · succeeded Alvin Benjamin RubinBush (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

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