John E. Dowdell

John Edward Dowdell (born January 22, 1955)[1] is the Chief United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

John E. Dowdell
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Incumbent
Assumed office March 14, 2019
Preceded by	Gregory Kent Frizzell
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
Incumbent
Assumed office December 12, 2012
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Terence C. Kern
Personal details
Born	January 22, 1955 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Spouse(s)	Rochelle Wilbanks Dowdell
Parents	Tom and Jean Dowdell
Education	Wake Forest University (B.A.) University of Tulsa College of Law (J.D.)

Biography

Dowdell was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended Bishop Kelley High School.[1] He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 from Wake Forest University, where he played football for the Demon Deacons as a Wide Receiver and Defensive Back from 1973 to 1977. Among his teammates are United States Senator Richard Burr and Charlie Crist, the former Governor of Florida. He received his Juris Doctor in 1981 from the University of Tulsa College of Law. He served as a law clerk for Judge William Judson Holloway, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 1981 to 1983. After his clerkship, Dowdell joined the law firm of Norman, Wohlgemuth, Chandler & Dowdell, P.C., in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1983, becoming partner in 1987. He handled civil and criminal matters in both trial and appellate courts. Beginning in 1999, he served on a pro bono basis as an Adjunct Settlement Judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.[2][3]

Federal judicial service

On February 29, 2012, President Obama nominated Dowdell to serve as a District Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.[2] He would replace Judge Terence C. Kern, who took senior status in 2010. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on his nomination on May 9, 2012 and reported his nomination to the floor on June 7, 2012.

On December 11, 2012, the Senate voted 95–0 to confirm Dowdell.[4] He received his judicial commission on December 12, 2012.[3] He became Chief Judge on March 14, 2019.

References

1. "John E. Dowdell Judge Profile on Martindale.com". www.martindale.com.
2. "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the US District Court". 29 February 2012.
3. "Dowdell, John Edward – Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
4. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 112th Congress – 2nd Session". www.senate.gov.

External links

• John E. Dowdell at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• John E. Dowdell at Ballotpedia