Thomas A. Varlan

Thomas Alexander Varlan (born July 1, 1956) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Thomas Alexander Varlan
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
In office October 8, 2012 – March 31, 2019
Preceded by	Curtis Lynn Collier
Succeeded by	Pamela L. Reeves
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
Incumbent
Assumed office March 14, 2003
Appointed by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Robert Leon Jordan
Personal details
Born	Thomas Alexander Varlan (1956-07-01) July 1, 1956 Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Education	University of Tennessee (B.A.) Vanderbilt University Law School (J.D.)

Education and career

Born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Varlan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee in 1978 and a Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1981. He was in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1981 to 1987. He was the law director for the City of Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1988 to 1998, thereafter returning to private practice in Knoxville from 1998 to 2003.

District court service

On January 7, 2003, Varlan was nominated by President George W. Bush to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee vacated by Robert Leon Jordan. Varlan was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 13, 2003, and received his commission on March 14, 2003. He became Chief Judge on October 8, 2012. His term as Chief Judge ended up March 31, 2019.

Sources

• Thomas A. Varlan at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Robert Leon Jordan	Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee 2003–present	Incumbent
Preceded by Curtis Lynn Collier	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee 2012–2019	Succeeded by Pamela L. Reeves