Judge Gerald B. Tjoflat Oral History Project Reveals Key Insights into Judge’s Career

Dec 15, 2024Latest News

Judge Tjoflat speaks during his time as judge in residence at Duke Law School.
PICTURED ABOVE: Judge Tjoflat speaks to students as the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law’s distinguished judge in residence in 2022.

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An oral history documenting the life and career of Judge Gerald B. Tjoflat, one of the longest-serving federal appellate judges in U.S. history, is now accessible through Duke Law School’s scholarship repository. Organized by the Bolch Judicial Institute of Duke Law School, the project features transcripts of interviews conducted between 2021 and 2022. These interviews, led primarily by lawyers and judges who clerked for Judge Tjoflat, provide firsthand insights into key moments in his career.

Judge Tjoflat has served as a federal judge for more than 50 years. He first entered federal judicial service in 1970 when he was confirmed to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. In 1975, he was confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and then in 1981, he was among the first judges assigned to the newly created U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He served as Chief Judge of the Eleventh Circuit from 1989 to 1996 and assumed senior status in 2019. In addition to his remarkable judicial service, Judge Tjoflat has served on numerous boards, judicial conferences, and committees and is an honorary life member of the Duke Law School Board of Visitors.

Since its release, the Gerald B. Tjoflat Oral History Project has garnered widespread interest, with nearly 500 downloads from readers across more than 20 countries. This response shows the significance of Judge Tjoflat’s legacy and the importance of preserving judicial history for future generations.

One installment of the Oral History Project, David F. Levi’s interview with Judge Tjoflat, was recorded on campus at Duke Law as part of the Bolch Judicial Institute’s Distinguished Judge in Residence program and focused on Judge Tjoflat’s connections with Duke Law School. Additional topics include:

All are invited to explore the archive by visiting the Duke Law Scholarship Repository at scholarship.law.duke.edu/tjoflat.