United States District Court for the Central District of California

United States District Court for the Central District of California (C.D. Cal.)
Map
Divisions of the CDCA: Eastern Division in yellow, Southern Division in red, Western Division in blue
Appeals to	Ninth Circuit
Established	September 18, 1966
Judges assigned	28
Chief judge	George H. King
Official site

The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) serves over 18 million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population. The Central District was created on September 18, 1966.

Cases from the Central District are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the United States government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

History

California was admitted as a state on September 9, 1850, and was initially divided into two districts, the Northern and the Southern, by Act of Congress approved September 28, 1850, 9 Stat. 521.^[1] The boundary line was at the 37th parallel of North Latitude.^[2] The Southern District of California was abolished and the State made to constitute a single district – the United States District Court for the District of California – by Act of Congress approved July 27, 1866, 14 Stat. 300.^[1][2] Twenty years later, on August 5, 1886, Congress re-created the Southern District of California by 24 Stat. 308,^[2] but it was not until March 18, 1966, that the Eastern and Central Districts were created from portions of the Northern and Southern Districts by 80 Stat. 75.^[1]

Divisions

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California is divided into three divisions, with jurisdiction over seven counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

The Eastern Division covers Riverside and San Bernardino Counties at the Riverside courthouse.

The Southern Division covers Orange County from the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana.

The Western Division covers Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties. Cases are heard in two courthouses in downtown Los Angeles, the older Spring Street Courthouse and the newer Edward Roybal courthouse.

Current district judges

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
49	Chief Judge	George H. King	Los Angeles	1951	1995–present	2012–present	—	Clinton
12	District Judge	Manuel Real	Los Angeles	1924	1966–present	1982–1993	—	L. Johnson
37	District Judge	Stephen Victor Wilson	Los Angeles	1941	1985–present	—	—	Reagan
51	District Judge	Dean D. Pregerson	Los Angeles	1951	1996–present	—	—	Clinton
52	District Judge	Christina A. Snyder	Los Angeles	1947	1997–present	—	—	Clinton
54	District Judge	Margaret M. Morrow	Los Angeles	1950	1998–present	—	—	Clinton
56	District Judge	David O. Carter	Santa Ana	1944	1998–present	—	—	Clinton
60	District Judge	Virginia A. Phillips	Riverside	1957	1999–present	—	—	Clinton
61	District Judge	Percy Anderson	Los Angeles	1948	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
62	District Judge	John F. Walter	Los Angeles	1944	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
63	District Judge	Robert G. Klausner	Los Angeles	1941	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
64	District Judge	S. James Otero	Los Angeles	1951	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
65	District Judge	James V. Selna	Santa Ana	1945	2003–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
66	District Judge	Cormac J. Carney	Santa Ana	1959	2003–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
67	District Judge	Dale S. Fischer	Los Angeles	1951	2003–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
70	District Judge	Andrew J. Guilford	Santa Ana	1950	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
72	District Judge	Philip S. Gutierrez	Los Angeles	1959	2007–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
73	District Judge	Otis D. Wright II	Los Angeles	1944	2007–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
74	District Judge	George H. Wu	Los Angeles	1950	2007–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
76	District Judge	Dolly M. Gee	Los Angeles	1959	2010–present	—	—	Obama
77	District Judge	Josephine L. Staton	Santa Ana	1961	2010–present	—	—	Obama
78	District Judge	John A. Kronstadt	Los Angeles	1951	2011–present	—	—	Obama
79	District Judge	Michael W. Fitzgerald	Los Angeles	1959	2012–present	—	—	Obama
80	District Judge	Jesus G. Bernal	Riverside	1963	2012–present	—	—	Obama
81	District Judge	Fernando M. Olguin	Los Angeles	1961	2013–present	—	—	Obama
82	District Judge	Beverly Reid O'Connell	Los Angeles	1965	2013–present	—	—	Obama
83	District Judge	André Birotte Jr.	Los Angeles	1966	2014–present	—	—	Obama
—	District Judge	Vacant	—	—	—	—	—	—
22	Senior Judge	Mariana Pfaelzer	Los Angeles	1926	1978–1997	—	1997–present	Carter
23	Senior Judge	Terry J. Hatter, Jr.	Los Angeles	1933	1979–2005	1998–2001	2005–present	Carter
26	Senior Judge	Consuelo Bland Marshall	Los Angeles	1936	1980–2005	2001–2005	2005–present	Carter
35	Senior Judge	William Duffy Keller	Los Angeles	1934	1984–1999	—	1999–present	Reagan
41	Senior Judge	Ronald S.W. Lew	Los Angeles	1941	1987–2006	—	2006–present	Reagan
48	Senior Judge	Robert Timlin	Los Angeles	1932	1994–2005	—	2005–present	Clinton
58	Senior Judge	Gary Allen Feess	Los Angeles	1948	1999–2014	—	2014–present	Clinton
71	Senior Judge	Valerie Baker Fairbank	Los Angeles	1949	2007–2012	—	2012–present	G.W. Bush

Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat	Seat last held by	Vacancy reason	Date of vacancy	Nominee	Date of nomination
10	Audrey B. Collins	Retirement	August 1, 2014	—	—

Former district judges

#	Judge	State	Born/Died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
—	Yankwich, Leon ReneLeon Rene Yankwich	CA	1888–1975	—	—	1966[3]–1975	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
—	Byrne Sr., William MatthewWilliam Matthew Byrne Sr.	CA	1896–1974	—	—	1966[4]–1974	Truman,Truman	death
1	Hall, Peirson MitchellPeirson Mitchell Hall	CA	1894–1979	1966[5]–1968	—	1968–1979	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
2	Clarke, ThurmondThurmond Clarke	CA	1902–1971	1966[6]–1970	1966–1970	1970–1971	Eisenhower,Eisenhower	death
3	Stephens Jr., Albert LeeAlbert Lee Stephens Jr.	CA	1913–2001	1966[7]–1979	1970–1979	1979–2001	Kennedy,Kennedy	death
4	Carr, Charles HardyCharles Hardy Carr	CA	1903–1976	1966[8]–1973	—	1973–1976	Kennedy,Kennedy	death
5	Curtis Jr., Jesse WilliamJesse William Curtis Jr.	CA	1905–2008	1966[8]–1975	—	1975–1990	Kennedy,Kennedy	retirement
6	Crary, Elisha AveryElisha Avery Crary	CA	1905–1978	1966[8]–1975	—	1975–1978	Kennedy,Kennedy	death
7	Whelan, Francis C.Francis C. Whelan	CA	1907–1991	1966[9]–1978	—	1978–1991	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
8	Hill, IrvingIrving Hill	CA	1915–1998	1966[9]–1980	1979–1980	1980–1998	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
9	Andrew Hauk, A.A. Andrew Hauk	CA	1912–2004	1966[10]–1982	1980–1982	1982–2004	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
10	Gray, William PercivalWilliam Percival Gray	CA	1912–1992	1966[10]–1982	—	1982–1992	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
11	Ferguson, Warren JohnWarren John Ferguson	CA	1920–2008	1966–1979	—	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	reappointment
13	Pregerson, HarryHarry Pregerson	CA	1923–present	1967–1979	—	—	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	reappointment
14	Williams, David WelfordDavid Welford Williams	CA	1910–2000	1969–1981	—	1981–2000	Nixon,Nixon	death
15	Kelleher, Robert J.Robert J. Kelleher	CA	1913–2012	1970–1983	—	1983–2012	Nixon	death
16	Byrne, Jr., William MatthewWilliam Matthew Byrne, Jr.	CA	1930–2006	1971–1998	1994–1998	1998–2006	Nixon,Nixon	death
17	Lucas, Malcolm M.Malcolm M. Lucas	CA	1927–present	1971–1984	—	—	Nixon,Nixon	reappointment
18	Lydick, Lawrence TupperLawrence Tupper Lydick	CA	1916–1995	1971–1984	—	1984–1995	Nixon,Nixon	death
19	Firth, RobertRobert Firth	CA	1918–1984	1974–1979	—	1979–1984	Nixon,Nixon	death
20	Takasugi, Robert MitsuhiroRobert Mitsuhiro Takasugi	CA	1930–2009	1976–1996	—	1996–2009	Ford,Ford	death
21	Waters, Sr., Laughlin EdwardLaughlin Edward Waters, Sr.	CA	1914–2002	1976–1986	—	1986–2002	Ford,Ford	death
24	Tashima, A. WallaceA. Wallace Tashima	CA	1934–present	1980–1996	—	—	Carter,Carter	reappointment
25	Kenyon, David VreelandDavid Vreeland Kenyon	CA	1930–present	1980–1995	—	1995–1997	Carter,Carter	retirement
27	Hall, Cynthia HolcombCynthia Holcomb Hall	CA	1929–2011	1981–1984	—	—	Reagan,Reagan	reappointment
28	Gadbois Jr., Richard ArthurRichard Arthur Gadbois Jr.	CA	1932–1996	1982–1996	—	1996	Reagan,Reagan	death
29	Rafeedie, EdwardEdward Rafeedie	CA	1929–2008	1982–1996	—	1996–2008	Reagan,Reagan	death
30	Rymer, Pamela AnnPamela Ann Rymer	CA	1941–2011	1983–1989	—	—	Reagan,Reagan	reappointment
31	Hupp, Harry LindleyHarry Lindley Hupp	CA	1929–2004	1984–1997	—	1997–2004	Reagan,Reagan	death
32	Stotler, Alicemarie HuberAlicemarie Huber Stotler	CA	1942–2014	1984–2009	2005–2009	2009–2014	Reagan,Reagan	death
33	Ideman, James M.James M. Ideman	CA	1931–present	1984–1998	—	1998	Reagan,Reagan	retirement
34	Rea, William J.William J. Rea	CA	1920–2005	1984–1998	—	1998–2005	Reagan,Reagan	death
36	Fernandez, Ferdinand FrancisFerdinand Francis Fernandez	CA	1937–present	1985–1989	—	—	Reagan,Reagan	reappointment
38	Letts, John SpencerJohn Spencer Letts	CA	1934–2014	1985–2000	—	2000–2014	Reagan,Reagan	death
39	Tevrizian Jr., Dickran M.Dickran M. Tevrizian Jr.	CA	1940–present	1985–2005	—	2005–2007	Reagan,Reagan	retirement
40	Davies, JohnJohn Davies	CA	1929–present	1986–1998	—	—	Reagan,Reagan	retirement
42	Bonner, Robert C.Robert C. Bonner	CA	1942–present	1989–1990	—	—	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	resignation
43	Taylor, Gary L.Gary L. Taylor	CA	1938–present	1990–2004	—	2004–2005	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	retirement
44	Baird, Lourdes GillespieLourdes Gillespie Baird	CA	1935–present	1992–2004	—	2004–2005	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	retirement
45	McLaughlin, Linda HodgeLinda Hodge McLaughlin	CA	1942–1999	1992–1999	—	—	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	death
46	Collins, Audrey B.Audrey B. Collins	CA	1945-present	1994–2014	2009–2012	—	Clinton	retirement
47	Paez, RichardRichard Paez	CA	1947–present	1994–2000	—	—	Clinton,Clinton	reappointment
50	Wardlaw, Kim McLaneKim McLane Wardlaw	CA	1954–present	1995–1998	—	—	Clinton,Clinton	reappointment
53	Moreno, Carlos R.Carlos R. Moreno	CA	1948–present	1998–2001	—	—	Clinton,Clinton	resignation
55	Howard Matz	CA	1943–present	1998–2011	—	2011–2013	Clinton	retirement
57	Manella, Nora MargaretNora Margaret Manella	CA	1951–present	1998–2006	—	—	Clinton,Clinton	resignation
59	Cooper, Florence-MarieFlorence-Marie Cooper	CA	1940–2010	1999–2010	—	—	Clinton,Clinton	death
68	Schiavelli, George P.George P. Schiavelli	CA	1948–present	2004–2008	—	—	Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush	resignation
69	Larson, Stephen G.Stephen G. Larson	CA	1964–present	2006–2009	—	—	Bush, G.W.G.W. Bush	resignation
75	Nguyen, JacquelineJacqueline Nguyen	CA	1965–present	2009–2012	—	—	Obama,Obama	reappointment

Succession of seats

Seat 1 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 P. Hall 1966–1968 Williams 1969–1981 Rafeedie 1982–1996 Snyder 1997–present

Seat 2 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Clarke 1966–1970 Lydick 1971–1984 Ideman 1984–1998 Feess 1999–2014 Birotte 2014–present

Seat 3 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Stephens, Jr. 1966–1979 Kenyon 1980–1995 Wardlaw 1995–1998 Anderson 2002–present

Seat 4 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Carr 1966–1973 Firth 1974–1979 Marshall 1980–2005 Fairbank 2007–2012 O'Connell 2013–present

Seat 5 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Curtis, Jr. 1966–1975 Waters, Sr. 1976–1986 Lew 1987–2006 Wu 2007–present

Seat 6 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Crary 1966–1975 Takasugi 1976–1996 Moreno 1998–2001 Carney 2003–present

Seat 7 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Whelan 1966–1978 Pfaelzer 1978–1997 Manella 1998–2006 Nguyen 2009–2012 Olguin 2013–present

Seat 8 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Hill 1966–1980 Gadbois, Jr. 1982–1996 Morrow 1998–present

Seat 9 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Hauk 1966–1982 Hupp 1984–1997 Matz 1998–2011 Fitzgerald 2012–present

Seat 10 Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Gray 1966–1982 Rymer 1983–1989 Bonner 1989–1990 Collins 1994–2014 Vacant 2014-present

Seat 11 Seat established on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Ferguson 1966–1979 Tashima 1980–1996 D. Pregerson 1996–present

Seat 12 Seat established on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Real 1966–present

Seat 13 Seat established on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 H. Pregerson 1967–1979 C. Hall 1981–1984 Davies 1986–1998 Walter 2002–present

Seat 14 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Kelleher 1970–1983 Stotler 1984–2009 Tucker 2010–present

Seat 15 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Byrne 1971–1998 Phillips 1999–present

Seat 16 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Lucas 1971–1984 Rea 1984–1998 Carter 1998–present

Seat 17 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Hatter, Jr. 1979–2005 Gutierrez 2007–present

Seat 18 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Keller 1984–1999 Klausner 2002–present

Seat 19 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Fernandez 1985–1989 Taylor 1990–2004 Wright II 2007–present

Seat 20 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Wilson 1985–present

Seat 21 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Letts 1985–2000 Selna 2003–present

Seat 22 Seat established on July 10, 1984 by 98 Stat. 333 Tevrizian, Jr. 1985–2005 Guilford 2006–present

Seat 23 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Baird 1992–2004 Schiavelli 2004–2008 Gee 2010–present

Seat 24 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 McLaughlin 1992–1999 Cooper 1999–2010 Kronstadt 2011–present

Seat 25 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Paez 1994–2000 Otero 2003–present

Seat 26 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Timlin 1994–2005 Larson 2006–2009 Bernal 2012–present

Seat 27 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 King 1995–present

Seat 28 Seat established on November 2, 2002 by 116 Stat. 1758 (temporary) Fischer 2003–present

U.S. Attorney

The position of the United States Attorney for the Central District represents the United States Government in civil and criminal cases before the court is currently vacant. André Birotte Jr., formerly the Inspector General of the Los Angeles Police Department, was confirmed by the Senate as United States District Judge for the same court and received his commission on August 8, 2014.^[11]

See also

• Courts of California
• List of United States federal courthouses in California

Notes

External links

• United States District Court, Central District of California
• United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California

Current active district judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Alaska Beistline Burgess Gleason Arizona Collins Bolton Jorgenson Campbell Wake Snow Zipps Logan Tuchi Humetewa Márquez Rayes Soto C. California King Real Wilson Pregerson Snyder Morrow Carter Phillips Anderson Walter Klausner Otero Selna Carney Fischer Guilford Gutierrez Wright Wu Gee Staton Kronstadt Fitzgerald Bernal Olguin O'Connell Birotte 1 seat vacant E. California England O'Neill Mendez Mueller Nunley 1 seat vacant N. California Wilken Fogel Alsup Hamilton White Seeborg Koh Davila Chen Rogers Tigar Orrick Donato Freeman Chhabria S. California Moskowitz Huff Burns Sabraw Hayes Houston Benitez Sammartino Anello Battaglia Bencivengo Curiel Bashant Hawaii Mollway Seabright Kobayashi Watson Idaho Winmill Lodge Montana Christensen Morris Watters Nevada Navarro Mahan Jones Du Gordon Dorsey Boulware Oregon Aiken Brown Mosman Hernandez Simon McShane E. Washington Peterson Rice Bastian Mendoza, Jr. W. Washington Pechman Lasnik Leighton Martinez Robart Jones Settle Guam Tydingco-Gatewood N. Mariana Islands Manglona

Current senior district judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Alaska Holland Singleton Sedwick Arizona Carroll Rosenblatt Strand McNamee Silver Zapata Teilborg Martone Bury C. California Pfaelzer Hatter Marshall Stotler Keller Letts Lew Timlin Feess Fairbank E. California Karlton Shubb Burrell Ishii N. California Conti Schwarzer Henderson Jensen Armstrong Whyte Chesney Illston Breyer S. California Thompson Enright Miller Whelan Lorenz Hawaii Kay Ezra Gillmor Idaho None Montana Lovell Molloy Haddon Nevada George McKibben Pro Hunt Dawson Hicks Oregon Panner Redden Marsh Jones Haggerty King E. Washington Quackenbush Nielsen Van Sickle Whaley Shea Suko W. Washington McGovern Rothstein Coughenour Dimmick Bryan Zilly Guam Unpingco N. Mariana Islands Munson

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