Thomas Wade Phillips (born 1943) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Education and career

Born in

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida Na ...

, Tennessee, Phillips received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Berea College in 1965, a

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...

from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1969, and a Master of Laws from

George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School (GW Law) is the law school of George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Established in 1865, GW Law is the oldest top law school in the national capital. GW Law offers the largest range of cou ...

in 1973. He was in the

United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army, also known as the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is the legal arm of the United States Army. It is composed of Army officers who are also lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at a ...

from 1969 to 1973 and became a captain. He was in private practice in Oneida and Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1973 to 1991. He was a County attorney (part-time), Scott County, Tennessee, from 1976 to 1991. He was then a United States magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee from 1991 to 2002.

District court service

On June 26, 2002, Phillips was nominated by President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee vacated by

James Howard Jarvis II James Howard Jarvis II (February 28, 1937 – June 6, 2007) was an American attorney and jurist who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Early life and education Bor ...

. Phillips was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 14, 2002, and received his commission on November 15, 2002. He took senior status on August 1, 2013, and was succeeded by Judge

Pamela L. Reeves Pamela Lynn Reeves (July 21, 1954 – September 10, 2020) was the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. She was the first female judge to serve in the Eastern District. E ...

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Thomas W. 1943 births Living people 21st-century American judges Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee United States district court judges appointed by George W. Bush Berea College alumni United States Army officers United States magistrate judges Vanderbilt University Law School alumni United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps