Please join us for lunch!

For our meeting Monday, February 12th 2024, we welcome 
The Honorable Judge Joe Anderson, US District Court, Senior Judge. 

Judge Joe Anderson was appointed United States District Judge by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Prior to that, he practiced law in Edgefield, South Carolina and also represented Edgefield and Aiken counties in the South Carolina House of Representatives. When appointed at the age of 36, he became the youngest judge in South Carolina history and the second youngest in the country. He served a seven-year term as Chief Judge of the District of South Carolina, and teaches two courses at the University of South Carolina School of Law. He is the author of three books, and was recognized by the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for civility, professionalism, and legal skills.

He is a graduate of Clemson University where he received the Norris Medal as the best all-around student as a senior, and the Hughes Award, given to the top second lieutenant in the U.S. Army commissioned through the ROTC program.

An avid sports fan, in 2003 he disguised himself as a trainer on the Clemson football team and secretly participated in the Clemson pre-game run down the hill alongside his son, who was a walk on kicker on the team. He also bought and planted rye grass to create a 50 foot tiger paw on the front lawn of the federal courthouse in celebration of Clemson’s 2016 national championship. And, to demonstrate the impartiality required of a judge, personally hoisted the USC flag at the same courthouse to celebrate the Gamecock’s win of the college world series.

Like most federal judges, Judge Anderson chose not to retire, but instead maintains an active docket in Columbia.