The Hon.

Jacquelyn

Austin

The Honorable Jacquelyn D. Austin has been a U.S. District Judge in the District of South Carolina since January 2024. Before being elevated to the District Court, Judge Austin was a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of South Carolina for almost 13 years.

Judge Austin attended the University of South Carolina and obtained both an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and a law degree.  Judge Austin worked as an engineer for three years before attending law school.  Following law school, Judge Austin clerked for the late Matthew J. Perry, Jr., District Judge for the District of South Carolina. Upon completing her clerkship, Judge Austin entered private practice with her most recent experience as a partner with the law firm Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP.  Judge Austin has experience drafting and prosecuting United States and European patent applications and has experience in commercial litigation involving matters such as patent infringement, trademark and copyright disputes, racial discrimination, the Fair Housing Act, product liability, qui tams, and other complex litigation matters.  Judge Austin is currently a member of the Bolsh Judicial Institute Class of 2027 at Duke School of Law working on her Masters in Judicial Studies.