John E. Steele

John E. Steele
John E. Steele
	Steele during his time as a United States magistrate judge
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
	In office; June 3, 2015 – July 14, 2026
Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
	In office; July 26, 2000 – June 3, 2015
Appointed by	Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Seat established by 113 Stat. 1501
Succeeded by	Wendy Berger
Magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
	In office; 1991–2000
Personal details
Born	June 3, 1949; Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	July 14, 2026 (aged 77)
Education	University of Detroit; (B.A., J.D.)

John Edwin "Jay" Steele (June 3, 1949 – July 14, 2026) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Early life and education

John Edwin Steele was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 3, 1949.^[1]^[2] He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Detroit in 1971 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit College of Law in 1973.

Career

Steele served as a law clerk to the Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in Detroit from 1972 to 1974. He was assistant prosecuting attorney in the Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney's Office from 1974 to 1977 and assistant prosecuting attorney in the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office in Lansing, Michigan from 1977 to 1980. Steele served as an assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan from 1980 to 1981. He relocated to Florida and was assistant United States attorney in the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida from 1981 to 1988. Steele was in private practice from 1988 to 1991.

Federal judicial service

Steele served as a United States magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida from 1991 to 2000 and was an adjunct professor at Florida Coastal School of Law from 1999 to 2000. President Bill Clinton nominated Steele to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida on June 6, 2000, to a new seat created by 113 Stat. 1501. He was confirmed by the Senate on July 21, 2000, and received his commission on July 26, 2000. He assumed senior status on June 3, 2015.

Death

Steele died suddenly on July 14, 2026, at the age of 77.^[3]

References

↑ Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Second Session, on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, May 25, June 15, July 12, and July 25, 2000. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2001. p. 770.
↑ "Biographies of Federal Court Judges Sitting in Florida" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
↑ "Exclusive | Judge who freed Cuban plane hijacker dies suddenly days after controversial ruling". July 16, 2026.

External links

John E. Steele at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.

Legal offices

Preceded by

Seat established by 113 Stat. 1501

Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida
2000–2015

Succeeded by

Wendy Berger

[1] Hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Second Session, on Confirmations of Appointees to the Federal Judiciary, May 25, June 15, July 12, and July 25, 2000. U.S. Government Printing Office. 2001. p. 770.

[2] "Biographies of Federal Court Judges Sitting in Florida" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 30, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2018.

[3] "Exclusive | Judge who freed Cuban plane hijacker dies suddenly days after controversial ruling". July 16, 2026.

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