Michael R. Murphy at a glance
- Current role
- U.S. Circuit Judge
- Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- Jurisdiction
- National federal courts · Federal
- Judicial service
- August 14, 1995–present
Michael R. Murphy
U.S. Circuit Judge · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Available research
Biography
Professional career
- Professional Career: Private practice, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1973-1986
- presiding judge, 1990-1995
- Judge, Utah District Court, Third District, 1986-1995
- Private practice, Salt Lake City, UT, 1973-1986
- Law clerk, Hon. David T. Lewis, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 1972-1973
Judicial service
- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 1995-2012
- Professional Career: Judge, Utah District Court, Third District, 1986-1995; presiding judge, 1990-1995
- As a senior judge, Murphy continues to hear cases on the Tenth Circuit, with recent decisions in 2026 including United States v. Ostertag and Joyner v. Frontier Airlines. His official court profile is available via the U.S. Courts Tenth Circuit site.
- 2012: Assumed senior status on December 31, 2012.
- 1990–1995: held the role of Presiding Judge of the Third District Court.
- 1995: Nominated by President Bill Clinton on July 25, 1995, to replace Judge Monroe G. McKay. Confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 11, 1995, by voice vote. Commissioned August 14, 1995.
- Appointed: 1995 by President Clinton
- 1986: Appointed by Governor Norman Bangerter to the Third District Court of Utah.
- 1973–1985: Private practice in Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Michael Roland Murphy (born August 6, 1947, Denver, Colorado) is a Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Education
- Creighton University · B.A., 1969
- University of Wyoming College of Law · J.D., 1972
Personal record
Born 1947 · Denver, CO
Courtroom rules and guidance
Appellate Oral Argument
In federal courts of appeals, oral argument is allowed unless a three-judge panel unanimously finds one of Rule 34's specified grounds for dispensing with it; the clerk provides the date, time, place, and time allocation.
Oral argument must be allowed in every case unless a panel of three judges who have examined the briefs and record unanimously agrees that oral argument is unnecessaryFederal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked July 25, 2026
https://www.fjc.gov/node/1385541CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2361/michael-r-murphy/Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure