United States District Court for the Central District of California

United States District Court for the Central District of California
(C.D. Cal.)
Divisions of the Central District of California : Eastern (yellow), Southern (red), and Western (blue)
LocationEdward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
(Los Angeles)
More locations
Appeals toNinth Circuit
EstablishedSeptember 18, 1966
Judges28
Chief JudgeDolly Gee
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyBill Essayli (interim)
U.S. MarshalDavid M. Singer
www.cacd.uscourts.gov

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) is a federal trial court that serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, making it the most populous federal judicial district.[1] The 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). Along with the Central District of Illinois, the court is the only district court referred to by the name "Central" – all other courts with similar geographical names instead use the term "Middle".

History

California was admitted to the union on September 9, 1850, and was divided into two federal trial court districts – Northern and Southern – by Act of Congress on September 28, 1850, 9 Stat. 521.[2] The boundary was at the 37th parallel.[3] The two districts were merged as the United States District Court for the District of California on July 27, 1866, by 14 Stat. 300.[2][3] On August 5, 1886, Congress re-created the Southern District by 24 Stat. 308,[3] while the northern half was renamed Northern District. The Eastern and Central Districts of California were created on March 18, 1966 from portions of the Northern and Southern Districts by 80 Stat. 75.[2]

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. All but two district judges are located in the new First Street Courthouse, whereas magistrate judges and two district judges maintain chambers in the Edward R. Roybal Courthouse.

United States attorney for the Central District of California

The United States attorney for the Central District of California represents the United States government in civil and criminal cases before the court. Since April 2, 2025, the interim U.S. Attorney for the district is Bill Essayli.

Current judges

As of June 1, 2025:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
76 Chief Judge Dolly Gee Los Angeles 1959 2010–present 2024–present — Obama
37 District Judge Stephen Victor Wilson Los Angeles 1941 1985–present — — Reagan
56 District Judge David O. Carter Santa Ana 1944 1998–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 R. Gary Klausner Los Angeles 1941 2002–present — — G.W. Bush
73 District Judge Otis D. Wright II Los Angeles 1944 2007–present — — G.W. Bush
77 District Judge Josephine Staton Los Angeles 1961 2010–present — — Obama
79 District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald Los Angeles 1959 2012–present — — Obama
80 District Judge Jesus Bernal Riverside 1963 2012–present — — Obama
81 District Judge Fernando M. Olguin Los Angeles 1961 2013–present — — Obama
83 District Judge André Birotte Jr. Los Angeles 1966 2014–present — — Obama
84 District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Los Angeles 1962 2020–present — — Trump
85 District Judge John W. Holcomb Santa Ana 1963 2020–present — — Trump
86 District Judge Mark C. Scarsi Los Angeles 1964 2020–present — — Trump
87 District Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha Los Angeles 1961 2020–present — — Trump
88 District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong Los Angeles 1976 2022–present — — Biden
89 District Judge Fred W. Slaughter Santa Ana 1973 2022–present — — Biden
90 District Judge Sunshine Sykes Riverside 1974 2022–present — — Biden
91 District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett Los Angeles 1969 2022–present — — Biden
92 District Judge Wesley Hsu Los Angeles 1971 2023–present — — Biden
93 District Judge Hernán D. Vera Los Angeles 1970 2023–present — — Biden
94 District Judge Kenly Kiya Kato Riverside 1972 2023–present — — Biden
95 District Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani Santa Ana 1979 2023–present — — Biden
96 District Judge Michelle Williams Court Los Angeles 1966 2024–present — — Biden
97 District Judge Anne Hwang Los Angeles 1975 2024–present — — Biden
98 District Judge Cynthia Valenzuela Dixon Los Angeles 1969 2024–present — — Biden
99 District Judge Serena Murillo Los Angeles 1970 2025–present — — Biden
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
52 Senior Judge Christina A. Snyder Los Angeles 1947 1997–2016 — 2016–present Clinton
60 Senior Judge Virginia A. Phillips inactive 1957 1999–2022 2016–2020 2022–present Clinton
65 Senior Judge James V. Selna Santa Ana 1945 2003–2020 — 2020–present G.W. Bush
66 Senior Judge Cormac J. Carney inactive 1959 2003–2024 2020 2024–present G.W. Bush
67 Senior Judge Dale S. Fischer Los Angeles 1951 2003–2024 — 2024–present G.W. Bush
71 Senior Judge Valerie Baker Fairbank Los Angeles 1949 2007–2012 — 2012–present G.W. Bush
74 Senior Judge George H. Wu Los Angeles 1950 2007–2023 — 2023–present G.W. Bush
78 Senior Judge John Kronstadt Los Angeles 1951 2011–2022 — 2022–present Obama

Former judges

# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
— Leon Rene Yankwich CA 1888–1975 — — 1966–1975[Note 1] F. Roosevelt/Operation of law death
— William Matthew Byrne Sr. CA 1896–1974 — — 1966–1974[Note 1] Truman/Operation of law death
1 Peirson Mitchell Hall CA 1894–1979 1966–1968[Note 1] — 1968–1979 F. Roosevelt/Operation of law death
2 Thurmond Clarke CA 1902–1971 1966–1970[Note 1] 1966–1970 1970–1971 Eisenhower/Operation of law death
3 Albert Lee Stephens Jr. CA 1913–2001 1966–1979[Note 1] 1970–1979 1979–2001 Kennedy/Operation of law death
4 Charles Hardy Carr CA 1903–1976 1966–1973[Note 1] — 1973–1976 Kennedy/Operation of law death
5 Jesse William Curtis Jr. CA 1905–2008 1966–1975[Note 1] — 1975–1990 Kennedy/Operation of law retirement
6 Elisha Avery Crary CA 1905–1978 1966–1975[Note 1] — 1975–1978 Kennedy/Operation of law death
7 Francis C. Whelan CA 1907–1991 1966–1978[Note 1] — 1978–1991 L. Johnson/Operation of law death
8 Irving Hill CA 1915–1998 1966–1980[Note 1] 1979–1980 1980–1998 L. Johnson/Operation of law death
9 A. Andrew Hauk CA 1912–2004 1966–1982[Note 1] 1980–1982 1982–2004 L. Johnson/Operation of law death
10 William Percival Gray CA 1912–1992 1966–1982[Note 1] — 1982–1992 L. Johnson/Operation of law death
11 Warren J. Ferguson CA 1920–2008 1966–1979 — — L. Johnson elevation to 9th Cir.
12 Manuel Real CA 1924–2019 1966–2018 1982–1993 2018–2019 L. Johnson death
13 Harry Pregerson CA 1923–2017 1967–1979 — — L. Johnson elevation to 9th Cir.
14 David W. Williams CA 1910–2000 1969–1981 — 1981–2000 Nixon death
15 Robert J. Kelleher CA 1913–2012 1970–1983 — 1983–2012 Nixon death
16 William Matthew Byrne Jr. CA 1930–2006 1971–1998 1994–1998 1998–2006 Nixon death
17 Malcolm Lucas CA 1927–2016 1971–1984 — — Nixon resignation
18 Lawrence Tupper Lydick CA 1916–1995 1971–1984 — 1984–1995 Nixon death
19 Robert Firth CA 1918–1984 1974–1979 — 1979–1984 Nixon death
20 Robert Mitsuhiro Takasugi CA 1930–2009 1976–1996 — 1996–2009 Ford death
21 Laughlin Edward Waters Sr. CA 1914–2002 1976–1986 — 1986–2002 Ford death
22 Mariana Pfaelzer CA 1926–2015 1978–1997 — 1997–2015 Carter death
24 A. Wallace Tashima CA 1934–present 1980–1996 — — Carter elevation to 9th Cir.
25 David Vreeland Kenyon CA 1930–2015 1980–1995 — 1995–1997 Carter retirement
27 Cynthia Holcomb Hall CA 1929–2011 1981–1984 — — Reagan elevation to 9th Cir.
28 Richard Arthur Gadbois Jr. CA 1932–1996 1982–1996 — 1996 Reagan death
29 Edward Rafeedie CA 1929–2008 1982–1996 — 1996–2008 Reagan death
30 Pamela Ann Rymer CA 1941–2011 1983–1989 — — Reagan elevation to 9th Cir.
31 Harry Lindley Hupp CA 1929–2004 1984–1997 — 1997–2004 Reagan death
32 Alicemarie Huber Stotler CA 1942–2014 1984–2009 2005–2009 2009–2014 Reagan death
33 James M. Ideman CA 1931–present 1984–1998 — 1998 Reagan retirement
34 William J. Rea CA 1920–2005 1984–1998 — 1998–2005 Reagan death
36 Ferdinand Fernandez CA 1937–present 1985–1989 — — Reagan elevation to 9th Cir.
38 John Spencer Letts CA 1934–2014 1985–2000 — 2000–2014 Reagan death
39 Dickran Tevrizian CA 1940–present 1985–2005 — 2005–2007 Reagan retirement
40 John Davies CA 1929–2020 1986–1998 — — Reagan retirement
41 Ronald S. W. Lew CA 1941–2023 1987–2006 — 2006–2023 Reagan death
42 Robert C. Bonner CA 1942–present 1989–1990 — — G.H.W. Bush resignation
43 Gary L. Taylor CA 1938–present 1990–2004 — 2004–2005 G.H.W. Bush retirement
44 Lourdes Baird CA 1935–present 1992–2004 — 2004–2005 G.H.W. Bush retirement
45 Linda Hodge McLaughlin CA 1942–1999 1992–1999 — — G.H.W. Bush death
46 Audrey B. Collins CA 1945–present 1994–2014 2009–2012 — Clinton retirement
47 Richard Paez CA 1947–present 1994–2000 — — Clinton elevation to 9th Cir.
48 Robert Timlin CA 1932–2017 1994–2005 — 2005–2017 Clinton death
49 George H. King CA 1951–present 1995–2017 2012–2016 — Clinton retirement
50 Kim McLane Wardlaw CA 1954–present 1995–1998 — — Clinton elevation to 9th Cir.
51 Dean Pregerson CA 1951–present 1996–2016 — 2016–2025 Clinton retirement
53 Carlos R. Moreno CA 1948–present 1998–2001 — — Clinton resignation
54 Margaret M. Morrow CA 1950–present 1998–2015 — 2015–2016 Clinton retirement
55 Howard Matz CA 1943–present 1998–2011 — 2011–2013 Clinton retirement
57 Nora Margaret Manella CA 1951–present 1998–2006 — — Clinton resignation
58 Gary Allen Feess CA 1948–present 1999–2014 — 2014–2015 Clinton retirement
59 Florence-Marie Cooper CA 1940–2010 1999–2010 — — Clinton death
64 S. James Otero CA 1951–present 2003–2018 — 2018–2020 G.W. Bush retirement
68 George P. Schiavelli CA 1948–2019 2004–2008 — — G.W. Bush resignation
69 Stephen G. Larson CA 1964–present 2006–2009 — — G.W. Bush resignation
70 Andrew J. Guilford CA 1950–present 2006–2019 — 2019–2020 G.W. Bush retirement
72 Philip S. Gutierrez CA 1959–present 2007–2024 2020–2024 — G.W. Bush retirement
75 Jacqueline Nguyen CA 1965–present 2009–2012 — — Obama elevation to 9th Cir.
82 Beverly Reid O'Connell CA 1965–2017 2013–2017 — — Obama death
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Reassigned from the Southern District of California.

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

List of U.S. attorneys

  • George J. Denis (1888–1889)[4]
  • Aurelus H. Hutton (1889–1890)
  • Matthew T. Allen (1892–1893)
  • George J. Denis (1893–1897)
  • Frank P. Flint (1897–1901)
  • Louis H. Valentine (1901–1905)
  • Oscar Lawler (1905–1909)
  • Albert Schoonover (1913–1917)
  • J. Robert O’Conner (1917–1921)
  • Joseph C. Burke (1921–1925)
  • Samuel W. McNabb (1925–1933)
  • John Rose Laying (1933)
  • Peirson M. Hall (1933–1937)
  • Ben Harrison (1937–1940)
  • William Fleet Palmer (1940–1942)
  • Leo V. Silverstein (1942–1943)
  • Charles H. Carr (1943–1946)
  • James M. Carter (1946–1949)
  • Ernest A. Tolin (1949–1951)
  • Walter Binns (1951–1953)
  • Laughlin Edward Waters Sr. (1953–1961)
  • Francis C. Whelan (1961–1964)
  • Thomas R. Sheridan (1962–1964)
  • Manuel L. Real (1964–1966)[5]
  • John K. Van de Kamp (1966–1967)
  • William Matthew Byrne Jr. (1967–1970)
  • Robert L. Meyer (1970–1972)
  • William D. Keller (1972–1977)
  • Robert L. Brosio (1977) (Acting)
  • Andrea S. Ordin (1977–1981)
  • Alexander H. Williams, III (1981) (Acting)
  • Stephen S. Trott (1981–1983)
  • Alexander H. Williams, III (1983–1984)
  • Robert C. Bonner (1984–1989)
  • Gary Allen Feess (1989)
  • Robert L. Brosio (1989–1990)
  • Lourdes Baird (1990–1992)
  • Terree Bowers (1992–1994)
  • Nora Margaret Manella (1994–1998)
  • Alejandro Mayorkas (1998–2001)
  • John S. Gordon (2001–2002)
  • Debra Wong Yang (2002–2006)
  • George S. Cardona (2006–2007)
  • Thomas P. O'Brien (2007–2009)
  • George S. Cardona (2009–2010) (Acting)
  • André Birotte Jr. (2010–2014)
  • Stephanie Yonekura (2014–2015) (Acting)
  • Eileen M. Decker (2015–2017)
  • Sandra R. Brown (2017–2018) (Acting)
  • Nicola T. Hanna (2018–2021)
  • Tracy L. Wilkison (2021–2022) (Acting)
  • E. Martin Estrada (2022–2025)
  • Joseph T. McNally (2025) (Acting)
  • Bill Essayli (2025–present) (Interim)

See also

  • Courts of California
  • List of current United States district judges
  • List of United States federal courthouses in California

References

  1. ^ "Central District of California | Our District". www.justice.gov. June 22, 2015. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "U.S. District Courts for the Districts of California: Legislative History".
  3. ^ a b c Willoughby Rodman, History of the Bench and Bar of Southern California (1909), p. 46.
  4. ^ "Former United States Attorneys". November 4, 2015.
  5. ^ In 1966, the Central District of California was created from portions of the Southern District of California.
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