Joseph James Farnan, Jr. (born 1945) is a former United States federal judge.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Farnan received a B.A. from King's College in 1967 and a J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law in 1970. He was a Director of the Criminal Justice Program at Wilmington College in New Castle, Delaware from 1970 to 1972. He was an Assistant public defender, State of Delaware from 1972 to 1975. He was in private practice in Wilmington, Delaware from 1972 to 1976. He was county attorney of New Castle County, Delaware from 1976 to 1979. He was chief deputy attorney general of the state of Delaware from 1979 to 1981. He was U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware from 1981 to 1985.
Farnan was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. Farnan was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on June 21, 1985, to a new seat created by 98 Stat. 333. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 16, 1985, and received his commission on July 18, 1985. He served as chief judge from 1996 to 2000. District Judge Joseph J. Farnan Jr., the longest-serving member of the federal bench in Delaware, retired on July 31, 2010.[1]
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Farnan has five children, two of which, Brian Farnan and Joseph J. Farnan III (JJ), are partners in his law firm.