--- title: "David William McKeague | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-william-mckeague" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # David William McKeague U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · U.S. Circuit Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - State: National federal courts - Role: U.S. Circuit Judge - Service status: senior - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2005-present - Adjunct professor, Michigan State University College of Law, 1998-2013 - Judge, District Court, W.D. Michigan, 1992-2005 - Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - Veteran federal judge with over three decades of service, beginning in the district court, moving to the appellate court, and now serving in senior status ### Education - University of Michigan Law School — J.D. (1971) - University of Michigan — B.A. (1968) ### Additional information - Assumed senior status on November 1, 2017. - Mukasey (2008), the Sixth Circuit dismissed a petition for lack of jurisdiction after the Board of Immigration Appeals issued a new decision that superseded an earlier one. - U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Nominated by President George W. Bush on February 14, 2005, to a seat vacated by Richard Fred Suhrheinrich. - Confirmed by the Senate on June 9, 2005, and commissioned June 10, 2005. - Served until June 13, 2005, when elevated to the Court of Appeals. - Confirmed by the Senate on February 6, 1992, and commissioned February 10, 1992. - Private practice, Lansing, MI, 1971-1992 - Private practice, Lansing, Michigan, 1971-1992 - U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan Nominated by President George H. W. Bush on September 11, 1991, to a seat vacated by Douglas Woodruff Hillman. - U.S. Army Reserve service (1969–1975). - Date of birth: 1946-01-01 - McKeague’s opinions have addressed a range of federal issues, including immigration, environmental law, and administrative law. - For example, in Mu Ju Li v. - His judicial philosophy is often described as consistent in applying statutory text, showing deference to government authority, and resolving many cases on summary judgment or administrative record review. - Ross School of Business - Birth place: Pittsburgh, PA ## 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 ### appellate oral argument Scope: courtwide 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. Evidence excerpt: 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 unnecessary [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384726) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384726) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384726) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2150/david-william-mckeague/) - [Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 34, Oral Argument](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-appellate-procedure) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2150/david-william-mckeague/) - [Judge David William McKeague](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1384726) - [Wikidata: David McKeague](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5237389) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-william-mckeague", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-william-mckeague", "name": "David William McKeague | KnowJudges", "description": "David William McKeague, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. 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