Patrick Errol Higginbotham at a glance
- Current role
- U.S. Circuit Judge
- Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- Jurisdiction
- National federal courts · Federal
- Judicial service
- Senior
Patrick Errol Higginbotham
U.S. Circuit Judge · U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Available research
Biography
Professional career
- Professional Career: Higginbotham, Hon. Patrick E. Interview conducted on April 30, 2024, by Judge Christopher G. Bradley and Thomas "T.L." Cubbage.
- Professional Career: Adjunct professor of constitutional law, Southern Methodist University Law School, 1976
- Professional Career: Oral History of Distinguished American Judges, Institute of Judicial Administration, New York University School of Law, New York City, 2024.
- Professional Career: Private practice, Dallas, Texas, 1964-1975
- Adjunct professor of constitutional law, Southern Methodist University Law School, 1976-present
- Private practice, Dallas, TX, 1964-1975
- U.S. Air Force judge advocate, 1961-1964
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, N.D. Texas, 1975-1982
- Judge, Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1982-2006
- Professional Career: U.S. Air Force judge advocate, 1961-1964
- Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Education
- University of Alabama School of Law · 1961
- University of Alabama · B.A., 1960
Personal record
Born 1938 · McCalla, AL
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/1382136CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1453/patrick-errol-higginbotham/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