| Taylor B. McNeel | |
| Office: | Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi |
| Appointer: | Donald Trump |
| Term Start: | December 14, 2020 |
| Predecessor: | Louis Guirola Jr. |
| Birth Place: | Louisville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Education: | University of Mississippi (BBA, JD) |
| Party: | Republican |
Taylor Brantley McNeel (born 1983)[1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.
McNeel earned his Bachelor of Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of Mississippi, and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he served on the Mississippi Law Journal.[2] At the University of Mississippi, he served as Senior Class President (2004 – 2005) and was on the Varsity Football Team (2001 – 2003). As quarterback of his high school football team, he led the team to its fourth straight title.[3] McNeel was elected Governor of Mississippi American Legion Boys State (2000) and was an Eagle Scout (1999).
From 2008 to 2020, he was a member at Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, in Biloxi, Mississippi, where his practice focused on complex commercial litigation. He was the Partner in Charge of the Mississippi Gulf Coast office. While in private practice, he was involved in pro bono work, trying a jury trial and bench trial. He prepared a motion to establish a pro bono appellate program in Mississippi (Rule 7 of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure) and assisted in development of the Rule. He has been a member of the Federalist Society since 2020.He served on the Pascagoula-Gautier School District Board of Trustees from 2019-2020.
On June 15, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate McNeel to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. On July 2, 2020, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated McNeel to the seat vacated by Judge Louis Guirola Jr., who assumed senior status on March 23, 2018.[4] On September 9, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5] On October 22, 2020, the Judiciary Committee reported his nomination by a 12–0 vote.[6] On November 30, 2020, the United States Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 52–36 vote.[7] On December 1, 2020, his nomination was confirmed by a 53–39 vote.[8] He received his judicial commission on December 14, 2020.
On May 19, 2023, McNeel denied a motion for a temporary restraining order in a case filed by a trans girl against her school district for instituting a policy requiring her to wear "boys" socks, shoes, pants, button-down-shirt, and tie at her high school graduation.[9] [10]
On April 30, 2021, McNeel dismissed most claims in a defamation case filed by a man who was acquitted of manslaughter in the death of his former girlfriend. The plaintiff alleged police lacked probable cause to detain him for 86 hours following the shooting and to charge him in connection with her death several weeks later. Plaintiff also claimed that the defendants leaked information to the press about the investigation, and conducted a flawed investigation that caused him to be wrongfully charged and indicted. The remaining claim related to the promptness requirement for a determination of probable cause.[11]
On June 28, 2021, McNeel granted a motion for summary judgment in a case filed by a young man falsely accused of murder and jailed for approximately eight months.[12]
In April 2022, McNeel sentenced a man who posed as a doctor to years in prison for health care fraud for submitting false statements to Medicare for reimbursement. Restitution in excess of $1.53 million was ordered.[13]
In February 2024, McNeel dismissed a lawsuit filed by commercial fishers in an attempt to block a quota reduction on amberjack limits.[14]