James S. Moody, Jr.

Who is James S. Moody, Jr.?

James S. Moody, Jr. is an American lawyer and judge. He currently serves on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Moody was born in Tampa, Florida. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in 1969 and his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law in 1972. He is a member of Florida Blue Key.

Moody was in private practice in Florida from 1972 to 1994. He was elected circuit judge of Florida's Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, serving from 1995 to 2000.

President Bill Clinton nominated Moody to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida on June 8, 2000, to a new seat created by 113 Stat. 1501. Confirmed by the Senate on July 21, 2000, he received commission seven days later.

One celebrated case that he handled was that of Sami Al-Arian, whom he sentenced to the maximum 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release on May 1, 2006, for aiding a terrorist organization, the Palestine Islamic Jihad.