James Kelleher Bredar at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- Jurisdiction
- Maryland · Federal
- Judicial service
- December 17, 2010–present
James Kelleher Bredar
Judge · U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Available research
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AI abuse cases
1 caseAI-related ruling · September 19, 2025
United States v. Malik
- Court response
- Warning
Biography
Professional career
- U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1998-2010
- Federal public defender, District of Maryland, 1992-1998
- Assistant federal public defender, District of Colorado, 1992-present
- Director, London office, Vera Institute of Justice, 1991-1992
- Assistant federal public defender, District of Colorado, 1989-1991
- Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Colorado, 1985-1989
- Deputy district attorney, Fourteenth Judicial District, CO, 1984-1985
- Law clerk, Hon. Richard P. Matsch, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 1983-1984
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, D. Maryland, 2010-present
Education
- Harvard University · B.A., 1979
- Georgetown University Law Center
Personal record
Born 1957 · Omaha, NE
Courtroom rules and guidance
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/1393511CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/373/james-kelleher-bredar/Federal 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