--- title: "John E. Jones III | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-e-jones-iii-1659" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # John E. Jones III U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania - State: Pennsylvania - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania, 2002-present - U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Nominated: February 28, 2002 Confirmed: July 29, 2002 Chief Judge: 2020–2021 - Law clerk (part-time), Hon. Guy A. Bowe, Court of Common Pleas of Schuylkill County Pennsylvania, 1980-1984 - John Edward Jones III is an American attorney, former federal judge, and current president of Dickinson College ### Education - The Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University — J.D. (1980) - Dickinson College — B.A. (1977) - Mercersburg Academy ### Additional information - Retired: August 1, 2021 - Joined the federal bench in 2002 by President George W. Bush and served until his retirement in 2021 - Joined the court in 2002 after being nominated by President George W. Bush (R). - Chairman, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, 1995-2002 - Director, Union Bank and Trust Company, 1993-2002 - Private practice, Pottsville, PA, 1980-2002 - Executive officer, Phoenix Contracting Co. and affiliated corporations, 1980-2002 - Assistant public defender (part-time), Pennsylvania, 1984-1995 - Born June 13, 1955. - Date of birth: 1955-01-01 - United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania - Blue Mountain High School - Before becoming a judge, Jones worked in private practice, held the role of a public defender, chaired the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, and participated in state politics, including co-chairing Governor-elect Tom Ridge’s transition team - Penn State Dickinson Law - Birth place: Pottsville, 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 ### recording photography evidence presentation Scope: statewide For Pennsylvania Common Pleas proceedings, statewide Pa.R.J.A. 1910 prohibits courtroom broadcasting, recording, and photography unless an exception or judicial authorization applies; the rule also recognizes judge-authorized electronic or photographic means for evidence presentation. Evidence excerpt: the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence [201 Pa. Code Chapter 19, Rule 1910, Broadcasting, Recording and Photography in the Courtroom](https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?d=&file=%2Fsecure%2Fpacode%2Fdata%2F201%2Fchapter19%2Fchap19toc.html) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1659/john-e-jones-iii/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1659/john-e-jones-iii/) - [U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1659/john-e-jones-iii/) - [201 Pa. Code Chapter 19, Rule 1910, Broadcasting, Recording and Photography in the Courtroom](https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?d=&file=%2Fsecure%2Fpacode%2Fdata%2F201%2Fchapter19%2Fchap19toc.html) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1659/john-e-jones-iii/) - [Judge John E. Jones III | Middle District of Pennsylvania | United States District Court](https://www.pamd.uscourts.gov/judge-john-e-jones-iii) - [John E. Jones - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/John_E._Jones) - [Wikidata: John E. Jones III](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6230799) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-e-jones-iii-1659", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-e-jones-iii-1659", "name": "John E. Jones III | KnowJudges", "description": "John E. Jones III, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. 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Jones III", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/john-e-jones-iii-1659" } ] } ] } ``` ## 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.