Dennis Shedd

Dennis Wayne Shedd (born January 28, 1953) is a former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Dennis Shedd
Shedd in 2022
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office January 30, 2018 – May 2, 2022
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
In office November 26, 2002 – January 30, 2018
Appointed by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Clyde H. Hamilton
Succeeded by	Julius N. Richardson
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
In office October 30, 1990 – December 10, 2002
Appointed by	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Karen L. Henderson
Succeeded by	Henry F. Floyd
Personal details
Born	Dennis Wayne Shedd (1953-01-28) January 28, 1953 (age 72) Cordova, South Carolina
Education	Wofford College (BA) University of South Carolina (JD) Georgetown University (LLM)

Background

Shedd attended Orangeburg Preparatory Schools in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wofford College, his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law and a Master of Laws from the Georgetown University Law Center. He went on to become chief counsel and staff director for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary while in the employ of Senator Strom Thurmond. He moved to South Carolina to practice law in 1988. During that time, he served as an adjunct professor of law at the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Federal judicial service

Service on district court

President George H. W. Bush nominated Shedd on October 17, 1990, to the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. Shedd was confirmed on October 27, 1990. He received his commission on October 30, 1990.^[1] His service as a district court judge was terminated on December 10, 2002, when he was elevated to the court of appeals.^[1]

Service on court of appeals

Shedd was nominated by President George W. Bush on September 4, 2001, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 19, 2002, by a 55–44 vote.^[2] He received his judicial commission on November 26, 2002.^[1] Shedd assumed senior status on January 30, 2018.^[1] He retired from the court on May 2, 2022.^[1]

Notable decisions

In 2007, Judge Shedd wrote for a fractured panel which found that the procedural default doctrine prevented the court from hearing the constitutional claims of a death row inmate.^[3] On May 25, 2017, Judge Shedd wrote a dissent when the en banc circuit upheld a lower court's injunction against the President's travel ban by a vote of 10–3 in Int'l Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump.^[4]