Todd Jerome Campbell (September 5, 1956 – April 11, 2021) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, serving as

Chief Judge A chief judge (also known as presiding judge, president judge or principal judge) is the highest-ranking or most senior member of a lower court or circuit court with more than one judge. According to the Federal judiciary of the United States, th ...

of the court from 2005 to 2012.

Early life and education

Born in Rockford, Illinois, Campbell received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University in 1978 and 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 the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1982.

Professional career

A longtime supporter and aide of former Vice President

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...

, Campbell worked in private law practice in

Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...

, Tennessee from 1982 until 1993. He worked as the deputy campaign manager for legal affairs and the treasurer of Gore's presidential campaign committee from 1987 until 1988, and he also worked as legal counsel to the personnel department during Bill Clinton and

's 1992–1993 presidential transition. In 1993, Campbell took a job working for Gore as Deputy Counsel to the Vice President and director of administration. From 1993 until 1995, Campbell served as counsel to the Vice President and director of administration. He then worked briefly in private practice in Nashville in 1995.

Federal judicial service

On June 27, 1995, President Bill Clinton nominated Campbell to be a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee to replace Judge

Thomas A. Wiseman Jr. Thomas Anderton Wiseman Jr. (November 3, 1930 – March 18, 2020) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee from 1978 to 1995. Education and career B ...

, who had taken senior status. The United States Senate confirmed Campbell in a voice vote on December 22, 1995, and he received his commission on December 26, 1995. Campbell served as the chief judge from 2005 to 2012, being succeeded by William Joseph Haynes Jr. He took senior status on December 1, 2016, due to a certified disability. He had been inactive since he took senior status, meaning that while he remained a federal judge, he no longer heard cases or participated in the business of the court.

Death

Campbell died of the effects of

multiple system atrophy Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by autonomic dysfunction, tremors, slow movement, muscle rigidity, and postural instability (collectively known as parkinsonism) and ataxia. This is caused by progr ...

on April 11, 2021, having suffered from the syndrome for numerous years.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, Todd J. 1956 births 2021 deaths Judges of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee People from Rockford, Illinois Tennessee Democrats United States district court judges appointed by Bill Clinton University of Tennessee College of Law alumni Vanderbilt University alumni 20th-century American judges 21st-century American judges