United States District Court for the Southern District of California

U.S. federal district court in California From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California (in case citations, S.D. Cal.) is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

LocationEdward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse
(San Diego)
More locations
AppealstoNinth Circuit
EstablishedAugust 5, 1886
Judges13
Quick facts Location, Appeals to ...
United States District Court for the Southern District of California
(S.D. Cal.)
The district's jurisdiction by county
LocationEdward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse
(San Diego)
More locations
Appeals toNinth Circuit
EstablishedAugust 5, 1886
Judges13
Chief JudgeCynthia Bashant
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyAdam Gordon
U.S. MarshalSteven C. Stafford
www.casd.uscourts.gov
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The District was created on September 28, 1850, following the passage of the California Statehood Act on September 9, 1850. The state was divided into a Northern and Southern district. The Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 abolished the Northern and Southern districts, re-organizing California as a single circuit district. On August 5, 1886 the Southern district was re-established, following the division of the state into Northern and Southern districts. The district was further divided on March 18, 1966 with the creation of the Central and Eastern districts.[1]

The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of April 11, 2025 the United States attorney is Adam Gordon.[2]

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California is one of four federal district courts in California.[3] Court for the District is held at El Centro and the Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse and U.S. Courthouse Annex in San Diego. The district comprises Imperial and San Diego counties.

Current judges

As of January 22, 2025:

More information #, Title ...
# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
67 Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant San Diego 1960 2014–present 2025–present — Obama
58 District Judge Dana Sabraw San Diego 1958 2003–present 2021–2025 — G.W. Bush
62 District Judge Janis Lynn Sammartino San Diego 1950 2007–present — — G.W. Bush
65 District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo San Diego 1958 2012–present — — Obama
68 District Judge Todd W. Robinson San Diego 1967 2020–present — — Trump
69 District Judge Linda Lopez San Diego 1968 2021–present — — Biden
70 District Judge Jinsook Ohta San Diego 1976 2021–present — — Biden
71 District Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro San Diego 1967 2022–present — — Biden
72 District Judge Robert S. Huie San Diego 1976 2022–present — — Biden
73 District Judge Andrew G. Schopler San Diego 1971 2023–present[Note 1] — — Biden
74 District Judge James E. Simmons Jr. San Diego 1979 2023–present — — Biden
75 District Judge Benjamin J. Cheeks San Diego 1977 2025–present — — Biden
76 District Judge vacant — — — — — —
50 Senior Judge Marilyn L. Huff San Diego 1951 1991–2016 1998–2005 2016–present G.H.W. Bush
53 Senior Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz San Diego 1950 1995–2019 2012–2019 2019–present Clinton
54 Senior Judge Jeffrey T. Miller San Diego 1943 1997–2010 — 2010–present Clinton
55 Senior Judge Thomas J. Whelan San Diego 1940 1998–2010 — 2010–present Clinton
56 Senior Judge M. James Lorenz San Diego 1935 1999–2009 — 2009–present Clinton
59 Senior Judge William Q. Hayes San Diego 1956 2003–2021 — 2021–present G.W. Bush
60 Senior Judge John A. Houston San Diego 1952 2003–2018 — 2018–present G.W. Bush
61 Senior Judge Roger Benitez San Diego 1950 2004–2017 — 2017–present G.W. Bush
63 Senior Judge Michael Anello San Diego 1943 2008–2018 — 2018–present G.W. Bush
64 Senior Judge Anthony J. Battaglia San Diego 1949 2011–2021 — 2021–present Obama
66 Senior Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel San Diego 1953 2012–2023 — 2023–present Obama
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  1. [1]
    By virtue of his seniority of age, Judge Schopler holds seniority over Judge Simmons despite their identical commission dates.

Vacancies and pending nominations

More information Seat, Prior judge's duty station ...
Seat Prior judge's duty station Seat last held by Vacancy reason Date of vacancy Nominee Date of nomination
23 San Diego William Q. Hayes Senior status August 1, 2021 — —
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Former judges

More information #, Judge ...
# Judge Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 James McHall Jones 1823–1851 1850–1851 — — Fillmore death
2 Ogden Hoffman Jr. 1822–1891 1852–1854[Note 1] — — Fillmore/Operation of law reassignment
3 Isaac Stockton Keith Ogier 1819–1861 1854–1861 — — Pierce death
4 Fletcher Mathews Haight 1799–1866 1861–1866 — — Lincoln death
5 Erskine Mayo Ross 1845–1928 1887–1895 — — Cleveland elevation
6 Olin Wellborn 1843–1921 1895–1915 — — Cleveland retirement
7 Benjamin Franklin Bledsoe 1874–1938 1914–1925 — — Wilson resignation
8 Oscar A. Trippet 1856–1923 1915–1923 — — Wilson death
9 William P. James 1870–1940 1923–1940 — — Harding death
10 Paul John McCormick 1879–1960 1924–1951 1948–1951 1951–1960 Coolidge death
11 Edward J. Henning 1868–1937 1925–1929[Note 2] — — Coolidge resignation
12 George Cosgrave 1870–1945 1930–1940 — 1940–1945 Hoover death
13 Harry Aaron Hollzer 1880–1946 1931–1946 — — Hoover death
14 Albert Lee Stephens Sr. 1874–1965 1935–1937 — — F. Roosevelt elevation
15 Leon Rene Yankwich 1888–1975 1935–1964 1951–1959 1964–1966 F. Roosevelt reassignment
16 Ralph E. Jenney 1883–1945 1937–1945 — — F. Roosevelt death
17 Campbell E. Beaumont 1883–1954 1939–1954 — — F. Roosevelt death
18 Benjamin Harrison 1888–1960 1940–1960 1959–1959 — F. Roosevelt death
19 James O'Connor 1886–1949 1940–1949 — — F. Roosevelt death
20 Peirson Mitchell Hall 1894–1979 1942–1966 1959–1964 — F. Roosevelt reassignment
21 William Carey Mathes 1899–1967 1945–1965 1964–1965 1965–1967 Truman death
22 Jacob Weinberger 1882–1974 1946–1958 — 1958–1974 Truman death
23 James Marshall Carter 1904–1979 1949–1967 1966–1967 — Truman elevation
24 Harry Clay Westover 1894–1983 1949–1965 — 1965–1983 Truman death
25 William Matthew Byrne Sr. 1896–1974 1950–1966[Note 3] 1965–1966 1966 Truman reassignment
26 Ernest Allen Tolin 1904–1961 1951–1961[Note 4] — — Truman death
27 Gilbert H. Jertberg 1897–1973 1955–1958 — — Eisenhower elevation
28 Thurmond Clarke 1902–1971 1955–1966 1966 — Eisenhower reassignment
29 Fred Kunzel 1901–1969 1959–1969 1967–1969 — Eisenhower death
30 Myron Donovan Crocker 1915–2010 1959–1966 — — Eisenhower reassignment
31 Albert Lee Stephens Jr. 1913–2001 1961–1966 — — Kennedy reassignment
32 Charles Hardy Carr 1903–1976 1962–1966 — — Kennedy reassignment
33 Jesse William Curtis Jr. 1905–2008 1962–1966 — — Kennedy reassignment
34 Elisha Avery Crary 1905–1978 1962–1966 — — Kennedy reassignment
35 Francis C. Whelan 1907–1991 1964–1966 — — L. Johnson reassignment
36 Irving Hill 1915–1998 1965–1966 — — L. Johnson reassignment
37 A. Andrew Hauk 1912–2004 1966 — — L. Johnson reassignment
38 William Percival Gray 1912–1992 1966 — — L. Johnson reassignment
39 Edward Joseph Schwartz 1912–2000 1968–1982 1969–1982 1982–2000 L. Johnson death
40 Howard Boyd Turrentine 1914–2010 1970–1984 1982–1984 1984–2010 Nixon death
41 Gordon Thompson Jr. 1929–2015 1970–1994 1984–1991 1994–2015 Nixon death
42 J. Clifford Wallace 1928–present 1970–1972 — — Nixon elevation
43 Leland Chris Nielsen 1919–1999 1971–1985 — 1985–1999 Nixon death
44 William Benner Enright 1925–2020 1972–1990 — 1990–2020 Nixon death
45 Judith Keep 1944–2004 1980–2004 1991–1998 — Carter death
46 Earl Ben Gilliam 1931–2001 1980–1993 — 1993–2001 Carter death
47 J. Lawrence Irving 1935–2024 1982–1990 — — Reagan resignation
48 Rudi M. Brewster 1932–2012 1984–1998 — 1998–2012 Reagan death
49 John Skylstead Rhoades Sr. 1925–2007 1985–1995 — 1995–2007 Reagan death
51 Irma Elsa Gonzalez 1948–present 1992–2013 2005–2012 2013 G.H.W. Bush retirement
52 Napoleon A. Jones Jr. 1940–2009 1994–2007 — 2007–2009 Clinton death
57 Larry Alan Burns 1954–present 2003–2021 2019–2021 2021–2024 G.W. Bush retirement
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  1. [1]
    Jointly appointed to the Northern and Southern Districts of California.
  2. [2]
    Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1925, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 15, 1925, and received commission on December 15, 1925.
  3. [3]
    Recess appointment; formally nominated on November 27, 1950, confirmed by the Senate on December 13, 1950, and received commission on December 21, 1950.
  4. [4]
    Recess appointment; formally nominated on March 3, 1952, confirmed by the Senate on June 10, 1952, and received commission on June 11, 1952.

Chief judges

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

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List of U.S. attorneys

The U.S. Attorney is the chief law-enforcement officer for the district.[4][5]

See also

References

External links

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