James Edgar Kinkeade (born January 20, 1948) is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Early Life and Education Born in Dallas, Texas, Kinkeade earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Baylor University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School in 1974.
Legal Career Kinkeade began his legal career in private practice in Dallas, Texas, from 1974 to 1980.
His judicial career began at the state level in Texas:
- He served as a Justice of the Peace for Dallas County from 1981 to 1988.
- He then served as a District Judge for the 199th Judicial District Court in Dallas County from 1988 to 1992.
- From 1993 to 2002, he was a Justice of the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals.
Federal Judicial Service On January 23, 2002, President George W. Bush nominated Kinkeade to a seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas vacated by Judge Jerry Buchmeyer. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 17, 2002, and received his commission on April 18, 2002. He served as a District Judge until he assumed senior status on May 2, 2018.
As a federal judge, Kinkeade has presided over numerous significant cases within the Northern District of Texas. His tenure on both state and federal benches has been marked by extensive experience in various areas of law.