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Jimmy Maxwell: Difference between revisions

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On September 2, 2025, President [[Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (R) nominated Jimmy Maxwell to the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]].<ref name=intent>[https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115017723403358459 ''Truth Social'', "Truth Details," accessed August 12, 2025]</ref><ref name=nomination>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-8a96/ ''The White House,'' "Nominations Sent to the Senate," accessed September 9, 2025]</ref> As of November 20, 2025, he was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full [[U.S. Senate]].<ref name=cong>[https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/466/5?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22James+Maxwell%22%7D&s=6&r=3 ''Congress.gov'', "PN466-5 — James D. Maxwell II — The Judiciary" accessed September 9, 2025]</ref> [[#Judicial nominations and appointments|Click here]] for more information on Maxwell's federal judicial nomination.
'''Jimmy Maxwell''' is a confirmed nominee to the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]]. He was nominated to the court by President [[Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump|Donald Trump]] (R) on September 2, 2025, and confirmed by the [[United States Senate]] on December 9, 2025, by a vote of 51-46. Maxwell will join the court upon receiving his judicial commission and taking his judicial oath.<ref name=cong>[https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/466/5?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22James+Maxwell%22%7D&s=6&r=3 ''Congress.gov'', "PN466-5 — James D. Maxwell II — The Judiciary" accessed September 9, 2025]</ref><ref name=intent>[https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115017723403358459 ''Truth Social'', "Truth Details," accessed August 12, 2025]</ref><ref name=nomination>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-8a96/ ''The White House,'' "Nominations Sent to the Senate," accessed September 9, 2025]</ref><ref name=FJC>[https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/maxwell-james-donald-ii ''The Federal Judicial Center'', "Maxwell, James Donald II," accessed December 9, 2025]</ref> [[#Judicial nominations and appointments|Click here]] for more information on Maxwell's federal judicial nomination.


The [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]] is one of 94 [[United States District Court|U.S. District Courts]]. They are the general [[trial court|trial courts]] of the [[United States federal courts]]. To learn more about the court, [[#About the court|click here]].
The [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]] is one of 94 [[United States District Court|U.S. District Courts]]. They are the general [[trial court|trial courts]] of the [[United States federal courts]]. To learn more about the court, [[#About the court|click here]].


Maxwell first became a member of the [[Mississippi Supreme Court]] through a gubernatorial appointment. He was appointed to the court by Gov. [[Phil Bryant]] (R) on December 23, 2015, to succeed retiring Justice [[David Chandler]] and then elected to a full eight-year term in November 2016.<ref name=supreme>[http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2015/12/24/james-maxwell-ii-appointed-to-states-highest-court/ ''The Oxford Eagle'', "James Maxwell II appointed to state's highest court," December 24, 2015]</ref> To read more about judicial selection in Mississippi, [[Judicial selection in Mississippi|click here]].
Prior to joining the court, Maxwell was a judge for District 3-Place 2 of the [[Mississippi Supreme Court]]. He assumed office on January 4, 2016. He first became a member of the [[Mississippi Supreme Court]] through a gubernatorial appointment. He was appointed to the court by Gov. [[Phil Bryant]] (R) on December 23, 2015, to succeed retiring Justice [[David Chandler]] and then elected to a full eight-year term in November 2016.<ref name=supreme>[http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2015/12/24/james-maxwell-ii-appointed-to-states-highest-court/ ''The Oxford Eagle'', "James Maxwell II appointed to state's highest court," December 24, 2015]</ref> To read more about judicial selection in Mississippi, [[Judicial selection in Mississippi|click here]].


{{SSC justice partisanship intro|Last=Maxwell|Score=Mild Republican}}
{{SSC justice partisanship intro|Last=Maxwell|Score=Mild Republican}}
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::''See also: [[Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump]]''
::''See also: [[Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump]]''


On September 2, 2025, President [[Donald Trump]] (R) nominated Maxwell to the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]].<ref name=nomination/> To read more about the federal nominations process, [[#The federal nomination process|click here]].
On September 2, 2025, President [[Donald Trump]] (R) nominated Maxwell to the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]].<ref name=nomination/> He was confirmed by a 51-46 vote of the U.S. Senate on December 9, 2025.<ref name=cong/> To read more about the federal nominations process, [[#The federal nomination process|click here]].


{{Federal Nomination Tracker
{{Federal Nomination Tracker
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|ReportDate =November 20, 2025
|ReportDate =November 20, 2025
|PastReport =
|PastReport =
|ConfirmDate =
|ConfirmDate =December 9, 2025
|Vote =
|Vote =51-46
|Returndate =
|Returndate =
|Withdraw =
|Withdraw =
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====Confirmation vote====
====Confirmation vote====
As of November 20, 2025, Maxwell was awaiting a confirmation vote from the full [[U.S. Senate]]. [[Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump#Waiting for vote in Senate|Click here]] for a list of other nominees awaiting a full Senate vote.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Maxwell by a vote of 51-46 on December 9, 2025.<ref name=cong/> To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, [https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00640.htm click here].
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="background:none; text-align: center;"
|-
! colspan="10" style="background-color:#334aab; color:#f0a236;" |''Maxwell confirmation vote (December 9, 2025)''
|-
!style="background-color:#00AF8C; color: white;" |'''Party'''
!style="background-color:#00AF8C; color: white;" |'''Yea'''
!style="background-color:#00AF8C; color: white;" |'''Nay'''
!style="background-color:#00AF8C; color: white;" |'''No vote'''
|-
| {{blue dot}}||0||44||1
|-
| {{red dot}}||51||0||2
|-
| {{greydot}} Independent ||0||2||0
|-
|style="background: #00AF8C; color: white" |Total
|style="background: #00AF8C; color: white" |'''51'''<ref>''Note: The bolded number reflects the largest number.''</ref>
|style="background: #00AF8C; color: white" |46
|style="background: #00AF8C; color: white" |3
|}


====Senate Judiciary Committee hearing====
====Senate Judiciary Committee hearing====
Line 50: Line 70:


==Biography==
==Biography==
Maxwell received his bachelor's degree in business and his J.D. from the University of Mississippi.<ref name="bio"/> His professional experience includes practicing civil law and working as an assistant U.S. attorney for the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi|Northern District of Mississippi]].<ref name="bio">[http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/appellate_courts/coa/bios/judgemaxwell.html ''State of Mississippi Judiciary'', "Jimmy Maxwell," accessed June 10, 2014]</ref>
===Early life and education===
Maxwell was born in 1975 in Metairie, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree in business and his law degree from the University of Mississippi.<ref name="FJC"/><ref name="bio">[http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/appellate_courts/coa/bios/judgemaxwell.html ''State of Mississippi Judiciary'', "Jimmy Maxwell," accessed June 10, 2014]</ref>
 
===Professional career===
*'''2016-2025:''' Justice, [[Mississippi Supreme Court]]
*'''2009-2015:''' Judge, [[Mississippi Court of Appeals]]
*'''2002-2009:''' Assistant U.S. attorney, Criminal Division, [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi|Northern District of Mississippi]]
*'''2001-2002:''' Private practice, [[Jackson, Mississippi]]<ref name="FJC"/>


==About the court==
==About the court==
Line 149: Line 176:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit]]
*[[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]]
*[[United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi]]
<!--REPLACE SEE ALSO START-->
<!--REPLACE SEE ALSO START-->
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[[Category: Appointed by Donald Trump]]
[[Category: Appointed by Donald Trump]]
[[Category: Appointee, Northern District of Mississippi]]
[[Category: Appointee, Northern District of Mississippi]]
[[Category:Article III judiciary nominee]]
[[Category:Confirmed nominee pending commission]]
[[Category: Confirmed 2025]]
[[Category:Federal Article III judges]]

Latest revision as of 07:05, 17 December 2025

Jimmy Maxwell
Nonpartisan
United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
Tenure
Nominee
Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2
Tenure
2016 - Present
Term ends
2033
Years in position
9
Compensation
Base salary
$173,800
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 5, 2024
Education
Bachelor's
University of Mississippi
Law
University of Mississippi
Contact
Official website
Campaign website

Jimmy Maxwell is a confirmed nominee to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on September 2, 2025, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 9, 2025, by a vote of 51-46. Maxwell will join the court upon receiving his judicial commission and taking his judicial oath.[1][2][3][4] Click here for more information on Maxwell's federal judicial nomination.

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Prior to joining the court, Maxwell was a judge for District 3-Place 2 of the Mississippi Supreme Court. He assumed office on January 4, 2016. He first became a member of the Mississippi Supreme Court through a gubernatorial appointment. He was appointed to the court by Gov. Phil Bryant (R) on December 23, 2015, to succeed retiring Justice David Chandler and then elected to a full eight-year term in November 2016.[5] To read more about judicial selection in Mississippi, click here.

In 2020, Ballotpedia published Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship, a study examining the partisan affiliation of all state supreme court justices in the country. As part of this study, we assigned each justice a Confidence Score describing our confidence in the degree of partisanship exhibited by the justices' past partisan behavior, before they joined the court.[6] Maxwell received a confidence score of Mild Republican.[7] Click here to read more about this study.

Maxwell previously served on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. He was appointed to that court in 2009 by Gov. Haley Barbour (R).

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Maxwell to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.[3] He was confirmed by a 51-46 vote of the U.S. Senate on December 9, 2025.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Jimmy Maxwell
Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
Progress
Confirmed 98 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: September 2, 2025
ApprovedAABA Rating: Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: September 3, 2025
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: November 20, 2025 
ApprovedAConfirmed: December 9, 2025
ApprovedAVote: 51-46


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Maxwell by a vote of 51-46 on December 9, 2025.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Maxwell confirmation vote (December 9, 2025)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 0 44 1
Ends.png Republican 51 0 2
Grey.png Independent 0 2 0
Total 51[8] 46 3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Maxwell's nomination on September 3, 2025.[1] The committee voted to advance Maxwell's nomination to the full Senate on November 20, 2025, after a 12-10 committee vote.[9]

Nomination

On September 2, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) nominated Jimmy Maxwell to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Donald Trump.

Maxwell was nominated to replace Judge Michael Mills, who assumed senior status on November 1, 2021.[10]

The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Maxwell qualified.[11] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Biography

Early life and education

Maxwell was born in 1975 in Metairie, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor's degree in business and his law degree from the University of Mississippi.[4][12]

Professional career

About the court

Northern District of Mississippi
Fifth Circuit
MS-ND Seal.gif
Judgeships
Posts: 3
Judges: 2
Vacancies: 1
Judges
Chief: Debra M. Brown
Active judges: Debra M. Brown, Robert P. Chamberlin

Senior judges:
Sharion Aycock, Glen Davidson, Michael Mills


The United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi is one of 94 United States district courts. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit based in downtown New Orleans at the John Minor Wisdom Federal Courthouse.


The Northern District of Mississippi has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The jurisdiction of the court includes facilities in Aberdeen, Ackerman, Clarksdale, Cleveland, Corinth and Greenville.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Northern District of Mississippi consists of all the following counties in the northern part of the state of Mississippi.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


Elections

2024

See also: Mississippi Supreme Court elections, 2024

General election

General election for Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2

Incumbent Jimmy Maxwell won election in the general election for Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2 on November 5, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Jimmy Maxwell
Jimmy Maxwell (Nonpartisan)
 
100.0
 
339,411

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2

Total votes: 339,411
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Maxwell in this election.

2016

See also: Mississippi judicial elections, 2016

Maxwell ran to keep his seat in 2016.[13]

Election results

November 8 general election
Incumbent James D. Maxwell ran unopposed in the general election for the Mississippi Supreme Court, District 3, Place 2.
Mississippi Supreme Court, District 3, Place 2, 2016
Candidate
Green check mark transparent.png James D. Maxwell Incumbent
Source: The New York Times

2014

See also: Mississippi judicial elections, 2014

Maxwell ran for re-election to the Court of Appeals.
General: He was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014. [14] 

2010

See: Mississippi judicial elections, 2010

Maxwell was re-elected to the Mississippi Court of Appeals after running unopposed.[15]

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jimmy Maxwell did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Analysis

Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship (2020)

See also: Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship and Ballotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters

Last updated: June 15, 2020

In 2020, Ballotpedia published Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship, a study examining the partisan affiliation of all state supreme court justices in the country as of June 15, 2020.

The study presented Confidence Scores that represented our confidence in each justice's degree of partisan affiliation. This was not a measure of where a justice fell on an ideological spectrum, but rather a measure of how much confidence we had that a justice was or had been affiliated with a political party. The scores were based on seven factors, including but not limited to party registration.[16]

The five resulting categories of Confidence Scores were:

  • Strong Democrat
  • Mild Democrat
  • Indeterminate[17]
  • Mild Republican
  • Strong Republican

This justice's Confidence Score, as well as the factors contributing to that score, is presented below. The information below was current as of June 2020.

Jimmy
Maxwell

Mississippi

  • Partisan Confidence Score:
    Mild Republican
  • Judicial Selection Method:
    Elected
  • Key Factors:
    • Appointed by a Republican governor
    • State was a Republican trifecta at time of appointment


Partisan Profile

Details:

Maxwell was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant (R). At the time of his appointment, Mississippi was a Republican trifecta.



State supreme court judicial selection in Mississippi

See also: Judicial selection in Mississippi

The nine justices on the Mississippi Supreme Court are elected to eight-year terms in nonpartisan elections. All candidates must run in the general election (as Mississippi holds no primary for judicial candidates) and must face re-election if they wish to serve again.[18] For more information about these elections, visit the Mississippi judicial elections page.

Unlike most states, supreme court justices in Mississippi are elected to represent specific districts. The nine justices are divided among three supreme court districts (not to be confused with the 22 divisions of the circuit courts) and are voted into office by the residents of their respective regions.[19] Only the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Louisiana use a similar system.

Qualifications

To serve on this court, a judge must be:

  • a qualified elector for and from the district in which election is sought;
  • a minimum of 30 years old;
  • a practicing attorney; and
  • a state citizen for at least five years.[18]

Chief justice

The court's chief justice is selected by seniority. He or she serves until retirement when the justice with the next most judicial experience becomes chief.[18]

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, a temporary judge is named by the governor. Appointees serve out the remainder of their predecessor's unexpired term if four or fewer years of the term remain. If there are more than four years remaining, the appointee will run in the next general election, taking place nine months or more after the vacancy occurs. The winner of the election will serve the remainder of the term.[20]

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.



See also

Mississippi Judicial Selection More Courts
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Courts in Mississippi
Mississippi Court of Appeals
Mississippi Supreme Court
Elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Mississippi
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

External links

Candidate

Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2
  • Website
    		•

    Officeholder

    Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2
  • Website
    		•

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Congress.gov, "PN466-5 — James D. Maxwell II — The Judiciary" accessed September 9, 2025
    2. ↑ Truth Social, "Truth Details," accessed August 12, 2025
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The White House, "Nominations Sent to the Senate," accessed September 9, 2025
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Federal Judicial Center, "Maxwell, James Donald II," accessed December 9, 2025
    5. ↑ The Oxford Eagle, "James Maxwell II appointed to state's highest court," December 24, 2015
    6. ↑ We calculated confidence scores by collecting several data points such as party registration, donations, and previous political campaigns.
    7. ↑ The five possible confidence scores were: Strong Democrat, Mild Democrat, Indeterminate, Mild Republican, and Strong Republican.
    8. ↑ Note: The bolded number reflects the largest number.
    9. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "RESULTS OF COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING," accessed November 24, 2025
    10. ↑ U.S. Courts, "Future Judicial Vacancies," accessed October 15, 2021
    11. ↑ American Bar Association, "STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY," accessed October 2, 2025
    12. ↑ State of Mississippi Judiciary, "Jimmy Maxwell," accessed June 10, 2014
    13. ↑ Secretary of State, State of Mississippi, "2016 Election Results," accessed August 5, 2021
    14. ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "2014 Candidate Qualifying List," accessed June 9, 2014
    15. ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Sample Official Election Ballot," accessed August 5, 2021
    16. ↑ The seven factors were party registration, donations made to partisan candidates, donations made to political parties, donations received from political parties or bodies with clear political affiliation, participation in political campaigns, the partisanship of the body responsible for appointing the justice, and state trifecta status when the justice joined the court.
    17. ↑ An Indeterminate score indicates that there is either not enough information about the justice’s partisan affiliations or that our research found conflicting partisan affiliations.
    18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed September 7, 2021
    19. ↑ State of Mississippi Judiciary, "Supreme Court," accessed September 7, 2021
    20. ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection," accessed September 7, 2021

    Political offices
    Preceded by
    -     		Mississippi Supreme Court District 3 Position 2
    2016-Present    		 Succeeded by
    -
    Preceded by
    Michael Mills     		United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi
    		Succeeded by
    -

    Mississippi courts

    Federal courts:

    Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Mississippi, Southern District of Mississippi

    State courts:

    Mississippi Supreme Court • Mississippi Court of Appeals • Mississippi circuit courts • Mississippi Chancery Court • Mississippi county courts • Mississippi justice courts • Mississippi youth courts • Mississippi Municipal Courts

    State resources:

    Courts in Mississippi • Mississippi judicial elections • Judicial selection in Mississippi


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