John Kronstadt
American judge (born 1951)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Arnold Kronstadt (born March 5, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
John Kronstadt | |
|---|---|
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| Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California | |
| Assumed office April 1, 2022 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California | |
| In office April 14, 2011 – April 1, 2022 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | Florence-Marie Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Mónica Ramírez Almadani |
| Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court | |
| In office 2002–2011 | |
| Appointed by | Gray Davis |
| Preceded by | Juelann Cathey |
| Succeeded by | Roberto Longoria |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 5, 1951 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | Cornell University (BA) Yale University (JD) |
Early life and education
Kronstadt was born in 1951.[1] He graduated from Cornell University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts.[2] At Cornell, he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1976.[2] After completing law school, Kronstadt served as a law clerk for Judge William Percival Gray of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3][4]
Judicial service
State judicial service
In October 2002, governor Gray Davis appointed Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[5] He replaced Judge Juelann Cathey,[5] who had retired earlier that year following major heart surgery.[6][4]
While a superior court judge, Kronstadt presided over the case to determine rightful ownership of the Bahia Emerald, an 840-pound gemstone that has previously been valued at $372 million.[7] During his state judicial service, only one of Kronstadt's decisions was reversed.[8]
Federal judicial service
On November 17, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Kronstadt to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Central District of California[2] to a seat vacated by Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, who died on January 15, 2010.[3] On April 12, 2011, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a 96–0 vote.[9] Kronstadt received his judicial commission two days later. He assumed senior status on April 1, 2022.[4]
Personal
Kronstadt is married to California 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Bendix.[3]