Diana Saldaña
American judge (born 1971)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diana S. Saldaña (born April 30, 1971) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and a former United States magistrate judge of the same court.
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Diana Saldaña | |
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas | |
| Assumed office February 9, 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | George P. Kazen |
| Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas | |
| In office 2006–2011 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 30, 1971 Carrizo Springs, Texas, U.S. |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (BA, JD) |
Biography
Saldaña was born in Carrizo Springs, Texas to Blanca Hernandez Rodriguez, a single mother.[1] Beginning at the age of 10 and continuing through law school, Saldaña spent summers with her family as a seasonal farmworker in Minnesota and North Dakota.[1] Saldaña received two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, the first in history in 1993 and the second in government in 1994.[2] She then attended the University of Texas School of Law, where she was president of the Chicano/Hispanic Law Students Association.[1] Saldaña earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 1997.[1][2] After graduating law school, Saldaña served as law clerk for Judge George P. Kazen of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.[2][3]
Federal judicial service
In 2006, Saldaña was selected to serve as a United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.[2] She was sworn in on March 27, 2006.[1][3]
During the 111th United States Congress, Democrats from the Texas House delegation and Republican Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison agreed to recommend Saldaña for a Laredo vacancy on the Southern District of Texas.[4] On July 14, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Saldaña to replace George P. Kazen,[5] for whom she previously clerked. On February 7, 2011, her nomination was confirmed by the Senate by a 94–0 vote.[6][7] She received her commission on February 9, 2011.[3]