John E. Sparks

John E. Sparks is the Commissioner to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and is a nominee for United States Circuit Judge of the same court.

Biography
Sparks received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law. From 1976 to 1986, he served in various positions as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. From 1986 to 1991, he served as a military defense counsel, military prosecutor and Chief Legal Assistance Officer. From 1991 to 1994, he served as a Military Judge at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From 1994 to 1996, he served as Military Assistant to the General Counsel at the United States Department of the Navy. From 1996 to 1998, he was Deputy Legal Advisor for the National Security Council, retiring from the Marine Corps at the end of this service in 1998. He served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture, from 1998 to 1999, and served as Principle Deputy General Counsel of the Navy, from 1999 to 2000. Since 2000, he has served as Commissioner to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Court of Appeals nomination
On July 30, 2015, President Obama nominated Sparks to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, to the seat vacated by Judge James E. Baker, who took senior status on July 31, 2015. This is an Article I Judicial appointment with a term of fifteen years. His nomination is pending before the Senate Armed Services Committee.