James Parker Jones (born July 3, 1940) is an American lawyer and jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia. He served as a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from 2015 to 2022.[1] He served as a judge of the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court from 2016 to 2021.

James Parker Jones
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
Assumed office
August 30, 2021
Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
In office
May 19, 2015 – May 18, 2022
Appointed byJohn Roberts
Preceded byMary A. McLaughlin
Succeeded byKenneth M. Karas
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
In office
2004–2010
Preceded bySamuel Grayson Wilson
Succeeded byGlen E. Conrad
Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
In office
August 1, 1996 – August 30, 2021
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded byJames Harry Michael Jr.
Succeeded byRobert S. Ballou
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 39th district
In office
January 12, 1983 – January 13, 1988
Preceded byRick Boucher
Succeeded byWilliam C. Wampler Jr.
Personal details
Born (1940-07-03) July 3, 1940 (age 84)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationDuke University (AB)
University of Virginia (LLB)

Early life and education

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Jones was born in Tampa, Florida. He received an Artium Baccalaureus degree in psychology from Duke University in 1962 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1965.[2]

Career

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Jones was an assistant commonwealth attorney general of Virginia from 1965 to 1966. He was a law clerk for Judge Clement Haynsworth of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1966 to 1968. He was in private practice in Abingdon, Virginia from 1968 to 1971, and in Bristol, Virginia, from 1971 to 1995. He was a member of the Senate of Virginia from 1983 to 1988. He also served on the Virginia State Board of Education from 1990 to 1996.

Federal judicial service

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Expired district court nomination under Jimmy Carter

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On May 16, 1979, President Jimmy Carter nominated Jones to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia.[3] However, the United States Senate did not process Jones' nomination before Carter lost his bid for re-election, and President Ronald Reagan chose not to renominate Jones to the seat.

Renomination under Clinton

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On December 12, 1995, President Bill Clinton nominated Jones to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia to fill the seat vacated by Judge James Harry Michael Jr., who had taken senior status. The United States Senate confirmed Jones on July 18, 1996, and he received his commission on August 1, 1996. Jones served as chief judge from 2004 to 2010. He assumed senior status on August 30, 2021. He served as a judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court from 2015 to 2022 and as a judge of the United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court from 2016 to 2021.[4]

Personal life

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Jones married Mary Duke Trent, the granddaughter of Mary Duke Biddle and Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle Sr., in 1964.[5]

Notable cases

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In 2007, Jones levied a fine of $634.5 million against Purdue Pharma L.P., the maker of OxyContin, and three of its executives for misleading the public regarding the safety of prescription pain medication.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT 2015 Membership".
  2. ^ Judiciary, United States Congress Senate Committee on the (1996). Confirmation Hearings on Federal Appointments: Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Fourth Congress, First Session, on Confirmation of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  3. ^ "Jimmy Carter: NOMINATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE Week Ending Friday". www.presidency.ucsb.edu.
  4. ^ James Parker Jones at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  5. ^ "Virginia Student And Mary Trent Will Be Married; James Parker Jones of Law School to Wed Alumna of Duke". The New York Times. 1964-02-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  6. ^ "OxyContin maker, execs fined $634.5 million for misleading public | Arkansas Democrat Gazette". 20 July 2007.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
1996–2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
2004–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court
2015–2022
Succeeded by