Who appointed Ryan Douglas Nelson?

President Donald J. Trump appointed Ryan Douglas Nelson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2018.

Was Ryan Douglas Nelson appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?

Ryan Douglas Nelson was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.

What was Ryan Douglas Nelson's confirmation vote?

The Senate confirmed Ryan Douglas Nelson 51–44 on October 11, 2018.

Ninth Circuit / Appointed 2018 / Active

Ryan Douglas Nelson

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

Appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2018 and confirmed by the Senate 51–44, Ryan Douglas Nelson is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He earned a law degree from Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1999. Sources ↓

Born: 1973 · age 53
Appointed by: Donald J. Trump, 2018
Confirmed: 51–44
Education: Brigham Young 1996 · Brigham Young, J. Reuben Clark Law School 1999
Succeeded: Norman Randy Smith

Federal judicial service

Year	Court	Appointed by	Vote
2018	Ninth Circuit succeeded Norman Randy Smith	Trump (R)	51–44

Party letters show the appointing president’s party, not the judge’s own.

Confirmation vote

Nomination Confirmed 51–44 on October 11, 2018 · 115th Congress, Roll Call 232. Each senator links to their judicial-voting record.

Voted to confirm · 51

1 D, 50 R

Voted against · 44

42 D, 2 I

Did not vote · 5

4 D, 1 R

Education

Brigham Young University	B.A.	1996
Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School	J.D.	1999

Before the bench

Professional career before and outside the federal bench, as recorded by the Federal Judicial Center.

Law clerk, Hon. Karen LeCraft Henderson, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit	1999-2000
Law clerk, Hon. Charles N. Brower and Richard M. Mosk, Iran-United States Claims Tribunal, The Hague	2000-2001
Private practice, Washington, D.C.	2001-2006
Deputy assistant attorney general, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice	2006-2008
Deputy general counsel, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President	2008-2009
Special counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary	2009
Melaleuca, Inc., Idaho Falls, Idaho, 2009-2018; general counsel, 2009-2017; assistant secretary, 2013-2018; general counsel emeritus	2017-2018

Questions & answers

Who appointed Ryan Douglas Nelson?: President Donald J. Trump appointed Ryan Douglas Nelson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2018.
Was Ryan Douglas Nelson appointed by a Democrat or a Republican?: Ryan Douglas Nelson was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, a Republican. JudicialFinder records the appointing president's party, not a judge's own politics.
What was Ryan Douglas Nelson's confirmation vote?: The Senate confirmed Ryan Douglas Nelson 51–44 on October 11, 2018.
Which court is Ryan Douglas Nelson on?: Ryan Douglas Nelson is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Sources

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7 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Data as of 2026-09-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).