Joseph F. Anderson

Joseph F. Anderson
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 16, 2014
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
In office
2000–2007
Preceded byCharles Weston Houck
Succeeded byDavid C. Norton
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
In office
October 14, 1986 – November 16, 2014
Appointed byRonald Reagan
Preceded byCharles Earl Simons Jr.
Succeeded byDonald C. Coggins Jr.
Personal details
BornJoseph Fletcher Anderson Jr.
(1949-11-16) November 16, 1949[1]
Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
EducationClemson University (BA)
University of South Carolina (JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service
1972-1978 (Reserves)

Joseph Fletcher Anderson Jr. (born November 16, 1949) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Education and career

Anderson was raised in Edgefield, South Carolina. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Clemson University in 1972, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1975. He was a law clerk for Judge Clement Haynsworth of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1975 to 1976. He was in private practice in Edgefield with his father and brother from 1976 to 1986. He was a Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1980 to 1986.[2] Additionally, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1972 to 1978.[3]

Honorary degree

Anderson holds honorary degrees from Clemson (2009) and the University of South Carolina (2006).

Federal judicial service

Anderson was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on September 26, 1986, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina vacated by Judge Charles Earl Simons Jr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 8, 1986, and received his commission on October 14, 1986. Anderson was the youngest federal judge in South Carolina history at the time of his appointment. He served as Chief Judge from 2000 to 2007. He assumed senior status on November 16, 2014.[2]

In 2026, he was elected as the Fourth Circuit representative to the U.S. Judicial Conference which is the policy making body for the federal judiciary. Chief Justice John Roberts then appointed Anderson to the Executive Committee, which sets agenda for, and makes recommendations to, the full conference.[4]

Noteworthy Trials

In 2005, Anderson presided over the six-week trial arising out of the crash of commercial airline with 57 passengers.[5]

In 2004, he tried the first federal death penalty trial in South Carolina. [6]

Court Secrecy Initiative

In 2002, while serving as Chief Judge, Anderson successfully prompted his court to adopt a first-in-its-notion local rule outlawing secret settlements in cases including public safety.[7]

Teaching Experience

Anderson has taught Evidence and Federal Courts at the Joseph F. Rice University of South Carolina School of Law for over two decades.[8] He was twice voted Best Classroom Teacher by the student body.

Recognitions

In 2014, Anderson was presented with the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Fourth Circuit, which recognizes civility, professionalism, and legal skills.[9]

Publications

Anderson has published two books, The Lost Art: An Advocate's Guide to Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments (1999)[10], and Effective Courtroom Advocacy (2009). [11] The former was recognized by the Association for Continuing Legal Education as Best Publication in 1999.[12]

He has also authored pieces for the South Carolina Law Review, [13] Villanova Law Review, [14] Chicago-Kent Law Review,[15] Federal Courts Law Review, [16]several articles in South Carolina Lawyer Magazine, [17] and Voire Dire Magazine.[18]

References

  1. ↑ Justices and Judges of the United States Courts, Volume 1
  2. 1 2 "Anderson, Joseph Fletcher, Jr. - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  3. ↑ "Joseph F. Anderson, Jr., District of South Carolina". www.rwu.edu. Archived from the original on August 29, 2008.
  4. ↑ SC Lawyer Magazine, (Vol. 38 No. 2 Summer 2026) at 8.
  5. ↑ In re Air Crash at Charlotte, N.C. 982 F. Supp. 1056 (D.S.C. Sept. 25, 1996).
  6. ↑ United States v. Fulks, No. CRIM 4:02-992-JFA, 2004 WL 5042206 (D.S.C. Dec. 23, 2004), aff’d, 454 F.3d 410 (4th Cir. 2006).
  7. ↑ South Carolina Judges Seek to Ban Secret Settlements, NY Times, Monday, Sept. 2, 2002, at 1; Attacking Legal Secrecy, Chicago Tribune, Sept. 2002. at 10; Don’t Keep the Public in the Dark, USA Today, Sept. 20, 2002 at 12; Judges Veto Sealed Deals—US Bench in SC Won’t OK Them, National Law Journal, Aug. 12, 2002 at 1; McKay, M.-J. (2003, January 15). Secret Settlements. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/secret-settlements/.
  8. ↑ Joseph F. Anderson Jr. - Joseph F. Rice School of Law | University of South Carolina. (2017). Sc.Edu. https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/law/faculty_and_staff/directory/anderson_joseph.php
  9. ↑ The Bencher, Inns of Court, January/February 2014 at p. 25; https://www.innsofcourt.org/AIC/Awards_and_Scholarships/Professionalism_Awards/Professionalism_Awards_Recipients_by_Circuit.aspx
  10. ↑ Anderson, Joseph F. The Lost Art: An Advocate's Guide to Opening Statements and Closing Arguments (1999)
  11. ↑ Anderson, Joseph F. Effective Courtroom Advocacy (2009)
  12. ↑ The Lost Art: An Advocate’s Guide to Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments, 4th Edition. (2026). Scbar.Org. https://cv.scbar.org/cv5/cgi-bin/msascartdll.dll/productinfo?productcd=565
  13. ↑ Lawyering in the New Millenium: Reflections of a Journeyman Trial Judge, 49 S.C.L.Rev. 951 (Vol. 49, Summer 1998); Setting Yourself Apart from the Herd: A Judge’s Thoughts on Successful Courtroom Advocacy, 50 S.C.L.Rev. 617 (Vol. 50, Spring 1999); Hidden From the Court by Order of the Court: A Case Against Government Enforced Secrecy, 55 S.C.L.Rev. 711 (Vol. 55, Summer 2004).
  14. ↑ Secrecy in the Courts: At the Tipping Point? 53 Villanova L. Rev. 811 (2008)
  15. ↑ Secrecy in Litigation: The Healthy Debate Continues, 781 Chicago-Kent L. Rev. 301 (2006).
  16. ↑ Where Have You Gone Spot Mozingo? A Trial Judge’s Lament Over the Demise of the Civil Jury Trial, 4 Fed. Cts L. Rev. 99 (Fall 2009).
  17. ↑ Calling Albert Einstein to the Stand (and Other Seldom-Used, But Effective Trial Tactics), S.C. Lawyer Magazine (July 2020) at 48.
  18. ↑ Ten Things Every Trial Lawyer Could Learn from Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, Voir Dire Magazine, a Publication of the American Board of Trial Advocates, (Vol. 33, Issue 2, Summer 2016) at 6.

Sources

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