Magistrate Judge Nancy Joseph has been selected to serve as the President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association (FJMA). Judge Joseph took on the responsibilities as FMJA president on July 10, 2023, and will serve in that role for one year. She has previously served as the FMJA Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, and President-Elect.

The FMJA has more than 700 members, including both current and former magistrate judges. The FMJA has long embraced the mission of promoting an independent and efficient judiciary. It has actively sought to advance the public’s understanding of the role of magistrate judges in the federal court system, and to improve the utilization of magistrate judges by that system.

The FMJA is extensively involved in promoting diversity in the federal courts, the review of proposed changes to federal judicial rules and procedures, and the review of legislative actions that affect the judicial branch of the federal government. In addition, the organization promotes legal scholarship through the journal it publishes, the Federal Courts Law Review.

Magistrate Judge Joseph was sworn in as a judge of the Eastern District of Wisconsin in 2010. In her time on the bench, Judge Joseph has presided over numerous civil cases and pretrial criminal cases. Before joining the Court, Judge Joseph worked as a trial and appellate attorney with the Federal Defender Services of Wisconsin, Inc. She earned her B.A. from Howard University (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), her juris doctor from Rutgers University School of Law, and her masters of law in judicial studies from Duke University School of Law.