Eighth Circuit / Appointed 2004 / Active
William Duane Benton
Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Appointed by President George W. Bush in 2004 and confirmed by voice vote, William Duane Benton is a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He earned a law degree from Yale Law School in 1975. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, June 24, 2004
- Appointed by
- George W. Bush, 2004
- Confirmed
- by voice vote
- Education
- Northwestern 1972 · Yale Law School 1975
- Succeeded
- Theodore McMillian
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Eighth Circuit · succeeded Theodore McMillian | Bush (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
| Northwestern University | B.A. | 1972 |
| Yale Law School | J.D. | 1975 |
| Memphis State University (now University of Memphis) | M.B.A. | 1979 |
| University of Virginia School of Law | LL.M. | 1994 |
Sources
21 years on the Eighth Circuit. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).