Anderson received a
Bachelor of Science degree from the
University of Tennessee in 1976 and a
Juris Doctor from the
University of Memphis School of Law in 1980. He was then in private practice in Tennessee until 1983, and again from 1987 to 2003, serving in the interim as an assistant commissioner of the
Tennessee Department of Transportation from 1983 to 1985, and as a claims commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Treasury from 1985 to 1987.
Federal judicial service In 2003, Anderson became a
United States magistrate judge for the Western District of Tennessee. On September 6, 2007, he was nominated by President
George W. Bush to a seat on the
United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee vacated by
James Dale Todd. by
voice vote. and received his commission on May 21, 2008. and served until January 20, 2023. In response, a public affairs officer for the
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts told NPR that this omission was "due to an inadvertent oversight." == References ==