Joseph Dawson III

•   United States Army
  • South Carolina Army National Guard (1999–2009)
  • United States Army Reserve (2009)

Joseph Dawson III
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
Incumbent
Assumed office December 22, 2020
Rank	Captain
Unit	United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
Awards	See list Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal Army Service Ribbon South Carolina Palmetto Service Ribbon

Joseph Dawson III (born 1970) ^[1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Education

Dawson earned his Bachelor of Arts from The Citadel, and his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. ^[2]

Military Service and legal career

From 1999 to 2009, Dawson was a judge advocate general for the South Carolina Army National Guard, and he was a judge advocate general in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2009. He earned numerous awards and ended his military service as a captain. ^[1]

Civilian legal career

From 2001 to 2020, Dawson operated his own law practice and focused on general civil litigation and providing strategic advice to small businesses. He also served as County Attorney for Charleston County, South Carolina, where he was responsible for managing and overseeing all legal matters for the county and its officials. ^[2]

Federal judicial service

On October 1, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Dawson to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina seat vacated by Judge Terry L. Wooten, who assumed senior status on February 28, 2019. Dawson was recommended by Senator Tim Scott. ^[3] On October 23, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. ^[4] On November 18, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. ^[5] On December 10, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–9 vote. ^[6] On December 16, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 56–39 vote. ^[7] His nomination was confirmed later that day by a 56–39 vote. ^[8] He received his judicial commission on December 22, 2020. ^[9]

In 2022, a judicial reform organization filed a formal complaint against Dawson over his ongoing $216,000 contract with the Charleston County government shortly after his confirmation to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Charleston County amended Dawson’s controversial exit contract, and now the federal judge will not receive any cut of the county’s potential payout from the national opioid pharmaceutical litigation. Dawson also had asked the county to clarify that he won't be providing any legal services to the county in return for the $216,000 the county paid him, Council Chairman Teddie Pryor said. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

See also

• List of African-American federal judges
• List of African-American jurists

References

1. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: Joseph Dawson III
2. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominee" White House, October 1, 2020 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
3. Kropf, Schuyler (October 1, 2020). "Charleston County's staff attorney picked to become federal judge by Donald Trump". Post and Courier. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
4. "Two Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, October 23, 2020
5. United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for November 18, 2020
6. "Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 10, 2020" (PDF). Senate Judiciary Committee.
7. "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Joseph Dawson III to be U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina)". United States Senate. December 16, 2020.
8. "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Joseph Dawson III, of South Carolina, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of South Carolina". United States Senate. December 16, 2020.
9. Joseph Dawson III at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges , a publication of the Federal Judicial Center .
10. "Ethics complaint filed over new SC federal Judge Joe Dawson's County Council departure deal". 16 February 2021.
11. Raymond, Nate (29 July 2022). "South Carolina federal judge reprimanded for lucrative contract with ex-employer". Reuters.
12. "Federal District Judge Faces Reprimand for Employment Contract".

External links

• Joseph Dawson III at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges , a publication of the Federal Judicial Center .

Legal offices
Preceded by Terry L. Wooten	Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina 2020–present	Incumbent