James Donald Peterson at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- Jurisdiction
- Wisconsin · Federal
- Judicial service
- May 12, 2014–present
James Donald Peterson
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Available research
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Biography
Professional career
- Private practice, Madison, WI, 1999-2014
- Law clerk, Hon. David G. Deininger, Wisconsin Court of Appeals, 1998-1999
- Lecturer, Department of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin, 1994-1995
- Assistant professor, Department of Film, Television and Theatre, University of Notre Dame, 1986-1993
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, W.D. Wisconsin, 2014-present
Education
- University of Wisconsin Law School
Personal record
Born 1957 · Lake Charles, LA
Courtroom rules and guidance
Courtroom Technology
Judge-specific source
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN IN RE: STANDING ORDER GOVERNING THE USE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE ORDER 434 1. A party may submit electronic evidence to the court by sharing the evidence with the court via Box for Federal Government — the preferred method — or…Attachments_PTC_JDP.pdf ↗
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394491CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2549/james-donald-peterson/Attachments_PTC_JDP.pdf
Judge research source · PDF · checked July 24, 2026
https://www.wiwd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Attachments_PTC_JDP.pdfFederal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts