James Gritzner is an Article III federal judge on senior status for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. He joined the court in 2002 and became chief judge of the court in 2011. He served as chief judge until assuming senior status on March 1, 2015.
Judge Gritzner graduated from Dakota Wesleyan University with his bachelor's degree in 1969. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with his Master's degree in 1974 before attaining his J.D. degree from Drake University Law School in 1979. From 1979 to 2002, he was an attorney in private practice.