James D. Peterson

James Donald Peterson (born August 18, 1957) is an American lawyer who serves as the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

Biography

Peterson was born on August 18, 1957. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1979, Master of Arts degree in 1984 and Doctor of Philosophy in 1986 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After graduation, he was a faculty member at the University of Notre Dame, where he taught film and television history. He received his Juris Doctor in 1998 from the University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating Order of the Coif. He served as a law clerk for Judge David G. Deininger of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 1998 to 1999. From 1999 to 2014, he had been a shareholder at the Wisconsin law firm of Godfrey & Kahn, S.C., where he was a member of the litigation and intellectual property practice groups and led the firm's intellectual property litigation working group. Additionally, he served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he taught copyright law.

Federal judicial service

On November 7, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Peterson to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, to the seat vacated by Judge John C. Shabaz, who assumed senior status on January 20, 2009. On February 6, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote, with 2 senators recorded as “no”. Cloture was filed on his nomination on May 6, 2014. On May 8, 2014, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 56–40 vote. Later the day, his nomination was confirmed by a 70–24 vote. He received his judicial commission on May 12, 2014. He became chief judge on April 26, 2017. In the decision, Peterson wrote that he had "misgivings" about ruling in Anderegg's favor, but concluded that the law and other past higher-court decisions dictated that he rule in favor of the defendant.