History / Courts

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

65 judges have served since Jun 16, 1891. Now: Daniel Mack Traynor RJustin Daniel Smith RJonathan Allen Kobes RDavid Ryan Stras RLeonard Steven Grasz RJane Louise Kelly DBobby E. Shepherd RRaymond W. Gruender RSteven M. Colloton RLavenski R. Smith RJames B. Loken R.

Judges
65
44 R · 20 D · 1 N(
Longest tenure
36 years
Walter Henry Sanborn
Current
3 months
Daniel Mack Traynor, since Jul 24, 2026
history/court/court-of-appeals-for-the-eighth-circuitEvery holder, newest first
+65
1900192019401960198020002020Henry Clay Caldwell · 1891-06-16 – 1903-06-04 · None (assignment)William Cather Hook · 1903-11-17 – 1921-08-11 · RepublicanRobert E. Lewis · 1921-11-15 – 1929-03-28 · RepublicanArchibald K. Gardner · 1929-05-23 – 1960-09-30 · RepublicanAlbert Alphonso Ridge · 1961-06-15 – 1965-04-16 · DemocratFloyd Robert Gibson · 1965-06-08 – 1979-12-31 · DemocratRichard Sheppard Arnold · 1980-02-20 – 2001-04-01 · DemocratWilliam Jay Riley · 2001-08-03 – 2017-06-30 · RepublicanRalph R. Erickson · 2017-10-12 – 2026-07-28 · RepublicanWalter Henry Sanborn · 1892-03-17 – 1928-05-10 · RepublicanJohn Hazelton Cotteral · 1928-05-23 – 1929-03-28 · RepublicanJohn Benjamin Sanborn · 1932-01-23 – 1959-06-30 · RepublicanHarry Andrew Blackmun · 1959-09-21 – 1970-06-09 · RepublicanDonald Roe Ross · 1970-12-12 – 1987-06-13 · RepublicanC[larence] Arlen Beam · 1987-11-09 – 2001-02-01 · RepublicanMichael Joseph Melloy · 2002-02-14 – 2013-02-01 · RepublicanJane Louise Kelly · 2013-04-25 – present · DemocratAmos Madden Thayer · 1894-08-09 – 1905-04-24 · DemocratElmer Bragg Adams · 1905-12-12 – 1916-10-24 · RepublicanKimbrough Stone · 1916-12-21 – 1947-05-15 · DemocratJohn Caskie Collet · 1947-07-09 – 1955-12-05 · DemocratCharles Evans Whittaker · 1956-06-05 – 1957-03-25 · RepublicanMarion Charles Matthes · 1958-03-12 – 1973-07-14 · RepublicanWilliam Hedgcock Webster · 1973-07-18 – 1978-02-22 · RepublicanTheodore McMillian · 1978-09-23 – 2003-07-01 · DemocratSteven M. Colloton · 2003-09-10 – present · RepublicanWillis Van Devanter · 1903-02-18 – 1910-12-16 · RepublicanWalter Inglewood Smith · 1911-01-31 – 1922-01-27 · RepublicanWilliam Squire Kenyon · 1922-01-31 – 1933-09-09 · RepublicanCharles Breckenridge Faris · 1935-01-31 – 1935-11-30 · DemocratSeth Thomas · 1936-01-28 – 1954-05-01 · DemocratCharles Joseph Vogel · 1954-08-20 – 1968-02-20 · RepublicanMyron H. Bright · 1968-06-07 – 1985-06-01 · DemocratRoger Leland Wollman · 1985-07-22 – 2018-12-14 · RepublicanJustin Daniel Smith · 2026-06-18 – present · RepublicanJohn Emmett Carland · 1911-01-31 – 1922-11-11 · RepublicanWilbur Franklin Booth · 1925-03-18 – 1932-01-01 · RepublicanJoseph William Woodrough · 1933-04-12 – 1961-01-03 · DemocratPat Mehaffy · 1963-07-16 – 1974-08-31 · DemocratJesse Smith Henley · 1975-03-14 – 1982-05-31 · RepublicanGeorge Gardner Fagg · 1982-10-01 – 1999-05-01 · RepublicanKermit Edward Bye · 2000-03-09 – 2015-04-22 · DemocratLeonard Steven Grasz · 2018-01-03 – present · RepublicanArba Seymour Van Valkenburgh · 1925-03-18 – 1933-05-01 · RepublicanHarvey M. Johnsen · 1940-10-14 – 1965-08-01 · DemocratDonald Pomery Lay · 1966-07-22 – 1992-01-07 · DemocratMorris Sheppard Arnold · 1992-05-26 – 2006-10-09 · RepublicanBobby E. Shepherd · 2006-10-10 – present · RepublicanWalter Garrett Riddick · 1941-12-19 – 1953-07-31 · DemocratMartin Donald Van Oosterhout · 1954-08-26 – 1971-07-06 · RepublicanJohn R. Gibson · 1982-03-09 – 1994-01-01 · RepublicanDiana E. Murphy · 1994-10-11 – 2016-11-29 · DemocratDavid Ryan Stras · 2018-01-31 – present · RepublicanGerald William Heaney · 1966-11-03 – 1988-12-31 · DemocratJames B. Loken · 1990-10-17 – present · RepublicanRoy Laverne Stephenson · 1971-06-22 – 1982-04-01 · RepublicanPasco Middleton Bowman, II · 1983-07-19 – 2003-08-01 · RepublicanRaymond W. Gruender · 2004-06-05 – present · RepublicanFrank J. Magill · 1986-03-04 – 1997-04-01 · RepublicanJohn David Kelly · 1998-08-03 – 1998-10-21 · DemocratLavenski R. Smith · 2002-07-19 – present · RepublicanDavid Rasmussen Hansen · 1991-11-18 – 2003-04-01 · RepublicanWilliam Duane Benton · 2004-07-02 – 2026-06-21 · RepublicanDaniel Mack Traynor · 2026-07-24 – present · RepublicanJonathan Allen Kobes · 2018-12-12 – present · Republican
Daniel Mack Traynor R
Jul 24, 2026 – present · 3 months · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 48–47
Justin Daniel Smith R
Jun 18, 2026 – present · 4 months · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 48–43
Jonathan Allen Kobes R
Dec 12, 2018 – present · 7.8 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 51–50
David Ryan Stras R
Jan 31, 2018 – present · 8.7 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 56–42
Leonard Steven Grasz R
Jan 3, 2018 – present · 8.8 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · confirmed 50–48
Ralph R. Erickson R
Oct 12, 2017 – Jul 28, 2026 · 8.8 years · appointed by Donald J. Trump · senior status Jul 28, 2026 · confirmed 95–1
Jane Louise Kelly D
Apr 25, 2013 – present · 13 years · appointed by Barack Obama · confirmed 96–0
Bobby E. Shepherd R
Oct 10, 2006 – present · 20 years · appointed by George W. Bush
William Duane Benton R
Jul 2, 2004 – Jun 21, 2026 · 22 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Jun 21, 2026
Raymond W. Gruender R
Jun 5, 2004 – present · 22 years · appointed by George W. Bush · confirmed 97–1
Steven M. Colloton R
Sep 10, 2003 – present · 23 years · appointed by George W. Bush · confirmed 94–1
Lavenski R. Smith R
Jul 19, 2002 – present · 24 years · appointed by George W. Bush
Michael Joseph Melloy R
Feb 14, 2002 – Feb 1, 2013 · 11 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Feb 1, 2013 · confirmed 91–0
William Jay Riley R
Aug 3, 2001 – Jun 30, 2017 · 16 years · appointed by George W. Bush · senior status Jun 30, 2017 · confirmed 97–0
Kermit Edward Bye D
Mar 9, 2000 – Apr 22, 2015 · 15 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Apr 22, 2015 · confirmed 98–0
John David Kelly D
Aug 3, 1998 – Oct 21, 1998 · 3 months · appointed by William J. Clinton
Diana E. Murphy D
Oct 11, 1994 – Nov 29, 2016 · 22 years · appointed by William J. Clinton · senior status Nov 29, 2016
Morris Sheppard Arnold R
May 26, 1992 – Oct 9, 2006 · 14 years · appointed by George H.W. Bush · senior status Oct 9, 2006
David Rasmussen Hansen R
Nov 18, 1991 – Apr 1, 2003 · 11 years · appointed by George H.W. Bush · senior status Apr 1, 2003
James B. Loken R
Oct 17, 1990 – present · 36 years · appointed by George H.W. Bush
C[larence] Arlen Beam R
Nov 9, 1987 – Feb 1, 2001 · 13 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Feb 1, 2001
Frank J. Magill R
Mar 4, 1986 – Apr 1, 1997 · 11 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Apr 1, 1997
Roger Leland Wollman R
Jul 22, 1985 – Dec 14, 2018 · 33 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Dec 14, 2018
Pasco Middleton Bowman, II R
Jul 19, 1983 – Aug 1, 2003 · 20 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Aug 1, 2003
George Gardner Fagg R
Oct 1, 1982 – May 1, 1999 · 17 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status May 1, 1999
John R. Gibson R
Mar 9, 1982 – Jan 1, 1994 · 12 years · appointed by Ronald Reagan · senior status Jan 1, 1994
Richard Sheppard Arnold D
Feb 20, 1980 – Apr 1, 2001 · 21 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Apr 1, 2001
Theodore McMillian D
Sep 23, 1978 – Jul 1, 2003 · 25 years · appointed by Jimmy Carter · senior status Jul 1, 2003
Jesse Smith Henley R
Mar 14, 1975 – May 31, 1982 · 7.2 years · appointed by Gerald Ford · senior status May 31, 1982
William Hedgcock Webster R
Jul 18, 1973 – Feb 22, 1978 · 4.6 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon
Roy Laverne Stephenson R
Jun 22, 1971 – Apr 1, 1982 · 11 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status Apr 1, 1982
Donald Roe Ross R
Dec 12, 1970 – Jun 13, 1987 · 17 years · appointed by Richard M. Nixon · senior status Jun 13, 1987
Myron H. Bright D
Jun 7, 1968 – Jun 1, 1985 · 17 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jun 1, 1985
Gerald William Heaney D
Nov 3, 1966 – Dec 31, 1988 · 22 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Dec 31, 1988
Donald Pomery Lay D
Jul 22, 1966 – Jan 7, 1992 · 25 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Jan 7, 1992
Floyd Robert Gibson D
Jun 8, 1965 – Dec 31, 1979 · 15 years · appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson · senior status Dec 31, 1979
Pat Mehaffy D
Jul 16, 1963 – Aug 31, 1974 · 11 years · appointed by John F. Kennedy · senior status Aug 31, 1974
Albert Alphonso Ridge D
Jun 15, 1961 – Apr 16, 1965 · 3.8 years · appointed by John F. Kennedy · senior status Apr 16, 1965
Harry Andrew Blackmun R
Sep 21, 1959 – Jun 9, 1970 · 11 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Marion Charles Matthes R
Mar 12, 1958 – Jul 14, 1973 · 15 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Jul 14, 1973
Charles Evans Whittaker R
Jun 5, 1956 – Mar 25, 1957 · 10 months · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Martin Donald Van Oosterhout R
Aug 26, 1954 – Jul 6, 1971 · 17 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Jul 6, 1971
Charles Joseph Vogel R
Aug 20, 1954 – Feb 20, 1968 · 14 years · appointed by Dwight D. Eisenhower · senior status Feb 20, 1968
John Caskie Collet D
Jul 9, 1947 – Dec 5, 1955 · 8.4 years · appointed by Harry S Truman
Walter Garrett Riddick D
Dec 19, 1941 – Jul 31, 1953 · 12 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt
Harvey M. Johnsen D
Oct 14, 1940 – Aug 1, 1965 · 25 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · senior status Aug 1, 1965
Seth Thomas D
Jan 28, 1936 – May 1, 1954 · 18 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · senior status May 1, 1954
Charles Breckenridge Faris D
Jan 31, 1935 – Nov 30, 1935 · 10 months · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · senior status Nov 30, 1935
Joseph William Woodrough D
Apr 12, 1933 – Jan 3, 1961 · 28 years · appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt · senior status Jan 3, 1961
John Benjamin Sanborn R
Jan 23, 1932 – Jun 30, 1959 · 27 years · appointed by Herbert Hoover · senior status Jun 30, 1959
Archibald K. Gardner R
May 23, 1929 – Sep 30, 1960 · 31 years · appointed by Herbert Hoover · senior status Sep 30, 1960
John Hazelton Cotteral R
May 23, 1928 – Mar 28, 1929 · 10 months · appointed by Calvin Coolidge
Wilbur Franklin Booth R
Mar 18, 1925 – Jan 1, 1932 · 6.8 years · appointed by Calvin Coolidge · senior status Jan 1, 1932
Arba Seymour Van Valkenburgh R
Mar 18, 1925 – May 1, 1933 · 8.1 years · appointed by Calvin Coolidge · senior status May 1, 1933
William Squire Kenyon R
Jan 31, 1922 – Sep 9, 1933 · 12 years · appointed by Warren G. Harding
Robert E. Lewis R
Nov 15, 1921 – Mar 28, 1929 · 7.4 years · appointed by Warren G. Harding
Kimbrough Stone D
Dec 21, 1916 – May 15, 1947 · 30 years · appointed by Woodrow Wilson · senior status May 15, 1947
Walter Inglewood Smith R
Jan 31, 1911 – Jan 27, 1922 · 11 years · appointed by William H. Taft
John Emmett Carland R
Jan 31, 1911 – Nov 11, 1922 · 12 years · appointed by William H. Taft
Elmer Bragg Adams R
Dec 12, 1905 – Oct 24, 1916 · 11 years · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
William Cather Hook R
Nov 17, 1903 – Aug 11, 1921 · 18 years · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
Willis Van Devanter R
Feb 18, 1903 – Dec 16, 1910 · 7.8 years · appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
Amos Madden Thayer D
Aug 9, 1894 – Apr 24, 1905 · 11 years · appointed by Grover Cleveland
Walter Henry Sanborn R
Mar 17, 1892 – May 10, 1928 · 36 years · appointed by Benjamin Harrison
Henry Clay Caldwell N(
Jun 16, 1891 – Jun 4, 1903 · 12 years · appointed by None (assignment)

Dates are from the Federal Judicial Center (commission to senior status or departure). Consecutive terms of one person are merged.