Joel McElroy Carson III

Joel McElroy Carson III (born 1971) is an American attorney and jurist who has served as a United States circuit judge on the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit since 2018. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump, he occupies an active judgeship on a federal appellate court that hears appeals from district courts in six states. His career combines experience in private practice, corporate counsel work, state‑level policy advising, and service as a part‑time magistrate judge before his elevation to the appellate bench.

Early life and legal career

Carson was born in 1971 and pursued higher education in Texas and New Mexico. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas Tech University in Lubbock in 1994. Following his undergraduate studies, he attended the University of New Mexico School of Law in Albuquerque, where he contributed to the Natural Resources Journal as an editor. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1997.

Immediately after law school, Carson began a two‑year clerkship with Judge Bobby Baldock of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (1997‑1999). This early exposure to appellate work provided foundational experience in federal jurisprudence and judicial reasoning.

After completing his clerkship, Carson entered private practice. He became a partner at Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin LLP, a law firm based in Roswell, New Mexico. Over nine years with the firm, he concentrated on matters involving natural resources, mining, and regulatory law, developing expertise in the legal frameworks governing energy extraction and environmental compliance.

Carson subsequently transitioned to corporate counsel work, serving for five years as General Counsel of Mack Energy Corporation, an independent oil‑and‑gas company headquartered in Artesia, New Mexico. In that role he oversaw the company's legal affairs, including contracts, regulatory filings, and litigation matters related to energy production.

In 2014 Carson founded his own practice, Carson Ryan LLC, where he continued to represent clients in areas aligned with his prior experience. His firm operated until his appointment to the federal bench.

Beyond private and corporate work, Carson engaged in public policy initiatives. Following the election of New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez in 2010, he served on her energy and environment transition teams, contributing legal insight to the administration’s approach to natural‑resource management and environmental regulation. He also holds a position on the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, an entity tasked with reviewing the conduct and performance of state judges.

From 2015 through 2018 Carson performed part‑time duties as a United States magistrate judge for the District of New Mexico. In that capacity he assisted district judges with pretrial matters, evidentiary hearings, and other judicial functions, gaining additional experience in federal trial proceedings before his elevation to the appellate level.

Federal appellate service

Carson’s path to the Tenth Circuit began with a recommendation from Congressman Steve Pearce in 2017. President Donald J. Trump nominated him on December 20, 2017 to fill the vacancy created when Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. assumed senior status at the end of that month.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing on February 14, 2018. Following deliberations, the committee reported Carson’s nomination favorably on March 15, 2018 with a vote of fifteen to six. The full Senate subsequently considered the nomination. On May 11, 2018 the Senate invoked cloture on his appointment by a vote of seventy‑one to twenty‑four, limiting further debate. Four days later, on May 15, 2018, Carson was confirmed by a vote of seventy‑seven to twenty‑one.

He received his judicial commission on May 17, 2018 and took the oath of office the following day, officially joining the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Since that time he has served as an active circuit judge, participating in panels that decide appeals on a wide range of federal legal issues arising from the six states within the circuit’s jurisdiction.

Jurisprudence and legacy

During his tenure on the appellate bench, Judge Carson has authored opinions addressing constitutional questions under both the First and Fourteenth Amendments. In the case known as *Vogt v. Rodebush*, he wrote for a three‑judge panel that public employers may not condition employment on an employee’s political beliefs or affiliations. The opinion emphasized that the First Amendment protects employees who choose to withhold support from particular candidates, whether such refusal is total or partial, thereby safeguarding individual political expression in the workplace.

In *Doe v. Rocky Mountain Classical Academy*, Carson authored a unanimous decision reviewing a lower‑court ruling on a school dress‑code dispute involving gender‑based restrictions on earrings. The district court had applied a “comparable burdens” analysis and concluded that the policy did not violate equal‑protection rights. Carson’s opinion reversed that judgment, holding that the appropriate standard was intermediate scrutiny rather than the comparable‑burdens test, and noting that the lower court’s approach was erroneous. While the decision stopped short of fully resolving how intermediate scrutiny should be applied in such contexts, it signaled a willingness to scrutinize gender‑based distinctions more closely under the Fourteenth Amendment.

These opinions illustrate Carson’s engagement with core constitutional protections, particularly where government actions intersect with individual political expression and equal‑protection considerations. His background in natural‑resources and regulatory law also informs his perspective on cases involving environmental regulation and energy policy, although specific rulings in those areas are not detailed here.

Beyond his written opinions, Carson’s service on the New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission reflects an ongoing commitment to judicial accountability and the assessment of judicial conduct at the state level. His earlier experience as a magistrate judge contributes practical insight into trial‑court processes, which can inform appellate review.

Overall, Judge Joel M. Carson III’s career trajectory—from clerkship through private practice, corporate counsel work, policy advising, part‑time magistracy, and finally to a federal appellate judgeship—demonstrates a blend of legal expertise across multiple sectors. His contributions on the Tenth Circuit continue to shape the development of federal law within his jurisdiction, particularly in areas where constitutional rights intersect with governmental authority.