Willie Louis Sands

Willie Louis Sands (born April 12, 1949)^[1] is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia.

W. Louis Sands
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
Incumbent
Assumed office April 12, 2014
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
In office 2001–2006
Preceded by	Duross Fitzpatrick
Succeeded by	Hugh Lawson
Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia
In office May 9, 1994 – April 12, 2014
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Seat established by 104 Stat. 5089
Succeeded by	Leslie Abrams Gardner
Personal details
Born	(1949-04-12) April 12, 1949 (age 75) Bradley, Georgia, U.S.
Education	Mercer University (BA, JD)

Education and career

Sands was born in Bradley, Georgia. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Mercer University in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from Mercer University School of Law in 1974. He was a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve Signal Corps in 1974, remaining in the Reserve until 1980 reaching the rank of captain. He was an assistant district attorney of the Macon, Georgia Judicial Circuit from 1975 to 1978. He was an assistant United States attorney for the Middle District of Georgia from 1978 to 1987. He was in private practice in Macon from 1987 to 1991, and was a judge on the Superior Court, Macon Judicial District from 1991 to 1993.

Federal judicial service

On February 9, 1994, Sands was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 6, 1994, and received his commission on May 9, 1994. He served as chief judge from 2001 to 2006. He assumed senior status on April 12, 2014.^[2]

See also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists
• List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Georgia

References

1. Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Third Congress, Second Session, on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, March 25; April 21, 22, 29; May 12 and 25, 1994. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1996. p. 332.
2. Willie Louis Sands at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Sources

• Willie Louis Sands at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices
Preceded by Seat established by 104 Stat. 5089	Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia 1994–2014	Succeeded by Leslie Abrams Gardner
Preceded by Duross Fitzpatrick	Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia 2001–2006	Succeeded by Hugh Lawson