James D Peterson

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 1999-2014, 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 lead 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 took senior status on January 20, 2009. On February 6, 2014 his nomination was reported out of committee. Cloture was filed on his nomination on May 6, 2014. On Thursday May 8, 2014 the Senate voted on the motion to invoke cloture by a vote of 56-40. The Senate voted 70-24 for final confirmation later the same day. He received his judicial commission on May 12, 2014. He became Chief Judge on April 26, 2017.