William Terrell Hodges

William Terrell Hodges (born April 28, 1934) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

William Terrell Hodges
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Incumbent
Assumed office May 2, 1999
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
In office 1982–1989
Preceded by	Ben Krentzman
Succeeded by	George C. Carr
Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
In office December 15, 1971 – May 2, 1999
Appointed by	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Joseph Patrick Lieb
Succeeded by	James D. Whittemore
Personal details
Born	William Terrell Hodges (1934-04-28) April 28, 1934 Lake Wales, Florida
Education	University of Florida (B.S.B.A.) Fredric G. Levin College of Law (J.D.)

Education and career

Born on April 28, 1934, in Lake Wales, Florida,[1] Hodges received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida in 1956, and a Juris Doctor from its Fredric G. Levin College of Law in 1958. He was in private practice of law in Tampa, Florida from 1958 to 1971. He was an Instructor in business at the University of South Florida from 1961 to 1966.[2]

Federal judicial service

Hodges was nominated by President Richard Nixon on December 8, 1971, to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, to a seat vacated by Judge Joseph Patrick Lieb. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 11, 1971, and received his commission on December 15, 1971. He served as Chief Judge from 1982 to 1989.[2] Hodges was the Chair of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation until June 13, 2007, when his term on that body ended. He assumed senior status on May 2, 1999.[3] Through 2018[4], he was a member of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management (CACM) of the Judicial Conference of the United States, which he chaired through Oct. 1, 2018.[5] [6]

Notable case

Hodges presided over the 2008 trial of celebrity actor Wesley Snipes for failure to file personal income tax returns (not to be confused with tax evasion). Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor charges, however Judge Hodges sentenced Snipes to three years in prison and an additional year of probation.[7]

References

1. "BIOGRAPHIES OF FEDERAL COURT JUDGES SITTING IN FLORIDA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
2. William Terrell Hodges at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
3. Judicial Conference of the United States. Bicentennial Committee (1978). Judges of the United States. The Committee: for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
4. Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules (September 6, 2019). "September 24, 2019 Agenda Book" (PDF). p. 195. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
5. "Privacy Concern Regarding Social Security and Immigration Opinions" (PDF). Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure. May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018. (Letter copied to the Rules committee)
6. "Chief Justice Names New Conference Committee Chairs". Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
7. "Wesley Snipes Gets 3 Years for Not Filing Tax Returns". Business Day. The New York Times. April 25, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2015.

Sources

• William Terrell Hodges at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Joseph Patrick Lieb	Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 1971–1999	Succeeded by James D. Whittemore
Preceded by Ben Krentzman	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida 1982–1989	Succeeded by George C. Carr