--- title: "Clay D. Land | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Clay D. Land U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia - State: Georgia - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, M.D. Georgia, 2001-present - On September 21, 2001, President George W. Bush nominated Land to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, filling the seat vacated by Judge J. Robert Elliott - Began his legal career in private practice in Columbus, Georgia, working with the law firm Hatcher, Stubbs, Land, Hollis & Rothschild from 1985 to 1992, becoming a partner ### Education - B.B.A. — University of Georgia — 1982 ### Additional information - Land held the role of chief judge from October 1, 2014, to June 30, 2020. - received his commission on December 21, 2001. - He then co-founded Buchanan & Land, L.L.P., specializing in civil litigation, and practiced there until 2001. - Private practice, Columbus, GA, 1985-2001 - He also served in public office, including Columbus City Council (1993–1994) and the Georgia State Senate (1995–2000) representing District 16 - a Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1985, where he served on the Georgia Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif - Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting magna cum laude from the University of Georgia in 1982 - Clay Daniel Land was born on March 24, 1960, in Shreveport, Louisiana. - Date of birth: 1960-01-01 - He sanctioned the attorney Orly Taitz for abuse of judicial process, imposing a $20,000 penalty under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. - He has also contributed to legal education through the University of Georgia Law School Board of Visitors Judge Clay D. Land is recognized for his extensive experience in civil litigation, public service, and federal judicial leadership, combining legal expertise with active involvement in the administration of justice - Macdonald, where he rejected a claim that President Barack Obama was ineligible to serve as President. - Beyond his courtroom duties, Land has been active in judicial administration, serving on the Budget Committee for the Judicial Conference of the United States, the Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, and representing Georgia in the Federal Judges Association. - Birth place: Shreveport, LA ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: Courtroom Technology . Each courtroom is equipped with various levels of audio/visual and automated evidence presentation equipment which is available to attorneys. Attorneys are encouraged to take advantage of this equipment, which is fairly simple to operate. [Technology for Attorneys | Middle District of Georgia | United States District Court](https://www.gamd.uscourts.gov/technology) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide 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. Evidence excerpt: 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](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: 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](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391391) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391391) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391391) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1847/clay-d-land/) - [Technology for Attorneys | Middle District of Georgia | United States District Court](https://www.gamd.uscourts.gov/technology) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1847/clay-d-land/) - [Wikidata: Clay D. Land](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5129882) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land", "name": "Clay D. Land | KnowJudges", "description": "Clay D. Land, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land#judge", "name": "Clay D. 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Land", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/clay-d-land" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 1302 | 302 | 0.5 | 302 | | 2y | 1687 | 504 | 0.9 | 504 | | 5y | 2457 | 1242 | 3.2 | 1242 | | 10y | 4156 | 2933 | 4.7 | 2933 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.