William Henry Barbour Jr.

William Henry Barbour Jr. (born February 4, 1941) is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

William Henry Barbour Jr.
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
Incumbent
Assumed office February 4, 2006
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
In office 1989–1996
Preceded by	Walter Nixon
Succeeded by	Tom Stewart Lee
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi
In office April 25, 1983 – February 4, 2006
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	William Harold Cox
Succeeded by	Carlton W. Reeves
Personal details
Born	William Henry Barbour Jr. (1941-02-04) February 4, 1941 Yazoo City, Mississippi
Education	Princeton University (B.A.) University of Mississippi School of Law (J.D.)

Education and career

Barbour was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University in 1963, attending New York University School of Law before receiving a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1966. He was in private practice of law in Yazoo City from 1966 to 1983, and was also a youth counselor for the Yazoo City Court from 1971 to 1982.[1]

Federal judicial service

Barbour was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on March 15, 1983, to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi vacated by Judge William Harold Cox. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 21, 1983, and received his commission on April 25, 1983. He served as Chief Judge from 1989 to 1996, and assumed senior status on February 4, 2006.[1] Barbour has indicated that he will take inactive senior status on January 4, 2019, meaning that while he will remain a federal judge, he will no longer hear cases or participate in the business of the court.[2]

Family

Barbour is a cousin and former law partner of Haley Barbour, former Governor of Mississippi.[3]

References

1. "Barbour, William Henry, Jr. - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
2. "Announcement of inactive senior status from the Southern District of Mississippi" (PDF).
3. Neil Weinberg (July 22, 2002). "Asleep at the Switch". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-12-28.

Sources

• William Henry Barbour Jr. at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by William Harold Cox	Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 1983–2006	Succeeded by Carlton W. Reeves
Preceded by Walter Nixon	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi 1989–1996	Succeeded by Tom Stewart Lee