CCJ Directory

Judge Keesler has served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the Western District of North Carolina since 2004. In that capacity, he is resident in the federal courthouse in Charlotte and hears both federal criminal and civil matters arising in the 32 counties stretching from east of Charlotte to the Tennessee line. He has a special interest in issues related to criminal procedure and criminal justice. Judge Keesler is a former President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, a voluntary association of current and retired federal magistrate judges from across the country. He currently serves by appointment of the Chief Justice on the United States Judicial Conference Committee on Space & Facilities. Judge Keesler has chaired the Court’s Local Rules Committee and is currently Co-Chair of its Building & Grounds Committee.

Prior to joining the bench, Judge Keesler served as a law clerk to a North Carolina Supreme Court Justice, as an Assistant District Attorney, as an Assistant United States Attorney, and as a lawyer in private practice. In addition to his passion for criminal justice issues, Judge Keesler has a deep interest in education. He has served as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte and as a member of the Board of Visitors at Queens University of Charlotte. He is currently Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors of the General Alumni Association at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his undergraduate alma mater. Judge Keesler graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1984, and from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1987.