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U.S. District Courts for the Districts of California: Succession Charts

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
September 28, 1850
9 Stat. 521 		August 5, 1886
24 Stat. 3082 		March 2, 1907
34 Stat. 1253 		September 14, 1922
42 Stat. 837 		May 31, 1938
52 Stat. 584 		June 15, 1946
60 Stat. 260 		August 3, 1949
63 Stat. 493 		August 3, 1949
63 Stat. 493
Hoffman, Ogden, Jr.1
1851-1866		 Hoffman, Ogden, Jr.
1886-1891		 Van Fleet, William C.
1907-1923		 Partridge, John S.
1923-1926		 Welsh, Martin I.
1939-1947		 Harris, George B.
1946-1970		 Carter, Oliver J.
1950-1976		 Murphy, Edward P.
1950-1958
  Morrow, William W.
1891-1897		 Kerrigan, Frank H.
1924-1935		 Louderback, Harold
1928-1941		 Lemmon, Dal M.
1947-1954		 Schnacke, Robert H.
1970-1983		 Poole, Cecil F.
1976-1980		 Sweigert, William T.
1959-1973
  DeHaven, John J.
1897-1913		 Roche, Michael J.
1935-1958		 Goodman, Louis E.
1942-1961		 Halbert, Sherrill 4
1954-1966		 Legge, Charles A.
1984-2001		 Henderson, Thelton E.
1980-1998		 Orrick, William H., Jr.
1974-1985
  Dooling, Maurice T.
1913-1924		 Wollenberg, Albert C.
1958-1975		 Weigel, Stanley A.
1962-1982		   White, Jeffrey S.
2002-2021		 Alsup, William H.
1999-2021		 Jensen, D. Lowell
1986-1997
  St. Sure, Adolphus F.
1925-1947		 Schwarzer, William W
1976-1991		 Vukasin, John P., Jr.
1983-1993		   Martinez-Olguin, Araceli
2023-		 Corley, Jacqueline S.
2022-		 Breyer, Charles R.
1997-2011
  Erskine, Herbert W.
1949-1951		 Caulfield, Barbara A.
1991-1994		 Chesney, Maxine M.
1995-2009		       Orrick, William H., III
2013-2023
  Friedman, Monroe M.
1952-1953		 Illston, Susan Y.
1995-2013		 Seeborg, Richard G.
2010-		       Lee, Eumi K.
2024-
  Hamlin, Oliver D., Jr.
1953-1958		 Chhabria, Vince G.
2014-		          
  Burke, Lloyd H.3
1958-1988		            
May 19, 1961
75 Stat. 80 		May 19, 1961
75 Stat. 80 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		September 2, 1957 (effective September 18, 1979)
71 Stat. 5867
MacBride, Thomas J.4
1961-1966		 Zirpoli, Alfonso J.
1961-1975		 Peckham, Robert F.
1966-1988		 Levin, Gerald S.
1969-1971		 Conti, Samuel
1970-1987		 Williams, Spencer M.
1971-1987		 Aguilar, Robert P.
1980-1996		 Patel, Marilyn H.
1980-2009
  Ingram, William A.
1976-1990		 Ware, James
1990-2012		 Renfrew, Charles B.
1971-1980		 Smith, Fern M.5
1988-2003		 Walker, Vaughn R.
1989-2011		 Fogel, Jeremy D.6
1998-2014		 Davila, Edward J.
2011-
  Armstrong, Saundra B.
1991-2012		 Donato, James
2014-		 Lynch, Eugene F.
1982-1997		   Rogers, Yvonne G.
2011-		    
  Tigar, Jon S.
2013-		   Jenkins, Martin J.
1997-2008		        
      Chen, Edward M.
2011-2022		        
      Lin, Rita F.
2023-		        
December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		December 1, 1990
(effective July 1999)
104 Stat. 50898		 December 1, 1990
(effective October 2011)
104 Stat. 50899
Whyte, Ronald M.
1992-2009		 Wilken, Claudia A.
1993-2014		 Hamilton, Phyllis J.
2000-2021		 Freeman, Beth Labson
2014-
Koh, Lucy H.
2010-2021		 Gilliam, Haywood S., Jr.
2014-		 Thompson, Trina L.
2022-		  
Pitts, P. Casey
2023-		      
1. The act of July 23, 1866, 14 Stat. 209, transferred this judgeship to the District of California.
2. The act of August 5, 1886, 24 Stat. 308, transferred this judgeship from the District of California.
3. On September 18, 1979, the president certified Lloyd Burke involuntarily as disabled pursuant to the act of September 2, 1957, 71 Stat. 586, which authorized the president to appoint an additional judge for the court and provided that no successor to the judge certified as disabled be appointed.
4. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred these judgeships to the Eastern District of California.
5. Pursuant to the act of December 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5089, no successor to Fern Smith was appointed because hers was the first seat to become vacant following her return to the court in 2003 from her appointment as director of the Federal Judicial Center.
6. Pursuant to the act of December 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5089, no successor to Jeremy Fogel was appointed because his seat became vacant during his service as director of the Federal Judicial Center.
7. The act of September 2, 1957, 71 Stat. 586, was made applicable to the Northern District of California on September 18, 1979, when the president certified Judge Burke as disabled. Marilyn Patel was appointed to the additional judgeship authorized by the statute.
8. The act of December 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5089, provided for the appointment of an additional judge for the court if an active judge assumed "the duties of a full-time office of Federal judicial administration." Fern Smith became director of the Federal Judicial Center in July 1999, and Phyllis Hamilton was appointed to the additional judgeship authorized by the statute.
9. The act of December 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5089, provided for the appointment of an additional judge for the court if an active judge assumed "the duties of a full-time office of Federal judicial administration." Jeremy Fogel became director of the Federal Judicial Center in October 2011, and Beth Freeman was appointed to the additional judgeship authorized by the statute.

 

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
September 28, 1850
9 Stat. 521 		August 31, 1852
10 Stat. 76 		January 18, 1854
10 Stat. 265 		August 5, 1886
24 Stat. 308 		July 30, 1914
38 Stat. 580 		September 14, 1922
42 Stat. 837 		July 27, 1930
46 Stat. 819 		August 2, 1935
49 Stat. 508
Jones, James M.1
1850-1851		 Hoffman, Ogden, Jr.2
1852-1854		 Ogier, Isaac S. K.
1854-1861		 Ross, Erskine M.
1887-1895		 Bledsoe, Benjamin F.
1914-1925		 James, William P.
1923-1940		 Hollzer, Harry A.
1931-1946		 Stephens, Albert L, Sr.
1935-1937
    Haight, Fletcher M.3
1861-1866		 Wellborn, Olin
1895-1915		 Henning, Edward J.
1925-1929		 O'Connor, James F. T.
1940-1949		 Weinberger, Jacob
1946-1958		 Jenney, Ralph E.
1937-1945
      Trippet, Oscar A.
1915-1923		 Cosgrave, George
1930-1940		 Byrne, William M., Sr.
1950-1966		 Kunzel, Fred
1959-1969		 Mathes, William C.
1945-1965
      McCormick, Paul J.
1924-1951		 Hall, Peirson M.4
1942-1966		 Hauk, A. Andrew4
1966		 Turrentine, Howard B.
1970-1984		 Hill, Irving4
1965-1966
      Tolin, Ernest A.
1951-1961		     Brewster, Rudi M.
1984-1998		  
      Crary, E. Avery4
1962-1966		     Lorenz, M. James
1999-2009		  
            Battaglia, Anthony J.
2011-2021		  
            Simmons, James E., Jr.
2023-		  
August 2, 1935
49 Stat. 508 		May 31, 1938
52 Stat. 584 		May 24, 1940
54 Stat. 219 		August 3, 1949
63 Stat. 493 		August 3, 1949
63 Stat. 493 		February 10, 1954
68 Stat. 8 		May 19, 1961
75 Stat. 80 		May 19, 1961
75 Stat. 80
Yankwich, Leon R.
1935-1964		 Beaumont, Campbell E.
1939-1954		 Harrison, Benjamin
1940-1960		 Carter, James M.
1949-1967		 Westover, Harry C.
1949-1965		 Clarke, Thurmond4
1955-1966		 Carr, Charles H.4
1962-1966		 Curtis, Jesse W., Jr.4
1962-1966
Whelan, Francis C.4
1964-1966		 Jertberg, Gilbert H.
1955-1958		 Stephens, Albert L, Jr.4
1961-1966		 Schwartz, Edward J.
1968-1982		 Gray, William P.4
1966		      
  Crocker, Myron D.5
1959-1966		   Irving, J. Lawrence
1982-1990		        
      Gonzalez, Irma E.
1992-2013		        
      Bashant, Cynthia A.
2014-		        
June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758 		November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758
Thompson, Gordon, Jr.
1970-1994		 Wallace, J. Clifford
1970-1972		 Nielsen, Leland C.
1971-1985		 Keep, Judith N.
1980-2004		 Gilliam, Earl B.
1980-1993		 Moskowitz, Barry T.
1995-2019		 Burns, Larry A.
2003-2021		 Sabraw, Dana M.
2003-
Miller, Jeffrey T.
1997-2010		 Enright, William B.
1972-1990		 Rhoades, John S., Sr.
1985-1995		 Sammartino, Janis L.
2007-		 Jones, Napoleon A., Jr.
1994-2007		 Ohta, Jinsook
2021-		 Schopler, Andrew G.
2023-		  
Bencivengo, Cathy A.
2012-		 Huff, Marilyn L.
1991-2016		 Whelan, Thomas J.
1998-2010		   Anello, Michael M.
2008-2018		      
  Robinson, Todd W.
2020-		 Curiel, Gonzalo P.
2012-2023		   Huie, Robert S.
2022-		      
November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758 		November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758 		November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 1758
Hayes, William Q.
2003-2021		 Houston, John A.
2003-2018		 Benitez, Roger T.
2004-2017
 

Montenegro, Ruth B.
2022-

 Lopez, Linda
2021-
1. Following the death of James Jones, Congress passed the act of August 31, 1852, 10 Stat. 76, authorizing the judge of the Northern District of California to hold court in the Southern District of California.
2. The act of January 18, 1854, 10 Stat. 265, assigned this judgeship exclusively to the Northern District of California.
3. The act of July 27, 1866, 14 Stat. 300, abolished the Southern District of California and reorganized the state as a single judicial district with one judgeship.
4. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred these judgeships to the Central District of California.
5. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred this judgeship to the Eastern District of California.

 

U.S. District Court for the District of California
July 27, 1866
14 Stat. 3001
Hoffman, Ogden, Jr.2
1866-1886
1. The act of July 27, 1866, 14 Stat. 300, transferred this judgeship from the Northern District of California.
2. The act of August 5, 1886, 24 Stat. 308, transferred this judgeship to the Northern District of California.

 

U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751
Hall, Peirson M.
1966-1968		 Clarke, Thurmond
1966-1970		 Stephens, Albert L., Jr.
1966-1979		 Carr, Charles H.
1966-1973		 Curtis, Jesse W., Jr.
1966-1975		 Crary, E. Avery
1966-1975		 Whelan, Francis C.
1966-1978		 Hill, Irving
1966-1980
Williams, David W.
1969-1981		 Lydick, Lawrence T.
1971-1984		 Kenyon, David V.
1980-1995		 Firth, Robert
1974-1979		 Waters, Laughlin E., Sr.
1976-1986		 Takasugi, Robert M.
1976-1996		 Pfaelzer, Mariana R.
1978-1997		 Gadbois, Richard A., Jr.
1982-1996
Rafeedie, Edward
1982-1996		 Ideman, James M.
1984-1998		 Wardlaw, Kim M.
1995-1998		 Marshall, Consuelo B.
1980-2005		 Lew, Ronald S. W.
1987-2006		 Moreno, Carlos R.
1998-2001		 Manella, Nora M.
1998-2006		 Morrow, Margaret M.
1998-2015
Snyder, Christina A.
1997-2016		 Feess, Gary A.
1999-2014		 Anderson, Percy
2002-		 Fairbank, Valerie B.
2007-2012		 Wu, George H.
2007-2023		 Carney, Cormac J.
2003-2024		 Nguyen, Jacqueline H.
2009-2012		 Vera, Hernán D.
2023-
Frimpong, Maame E.
2022-		 Birotte, Andre, Jr.
2014-		   O'Connell, Beverly R.
2013-2017		 Hwang, Anne
2024-		   Olguin, Fernando M.
2013-		  
      Kato, Kenly K.
2023-		        
March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 75 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294 		June 2, 1970
84 Stat. 294
Hauk, A. Andrew
1966-1982		 Gray, William P.
1966-1982		 Ferguson, Warren J.
1966-1979		 Real, Manuel L.
1966-2018		 Pregerson, Harry
1967-1979		 Kelleher, Robert J.
1970-1983		 Byrne, William M., Jr.
1971-1998		 Lucas, Malcolm M.
1971-1984
Hupp, Harry L.
1984-1997		 Rymer, Pamela A.
1983-1989		 Tashima, A. Wallace
1980-1996		 Garnett, Sherilyn P.
2022-		 Hall, Cynthia H.
1981-1984		 Stotler, Alicemarie H.
1984-2009		 Phillips, Virginia A.
1999-2022		 Rea, William J.
1984-1998
Matz, A. Howard
1998-2011		 Bonner, Robert C.
1989-1990		 Pregerson, Dean D.
1996-2016		   Davies, John G.
1986-1998		 Staton, Josephine L.
2010-		 Hsu, Wesley L.
2023-		 Carter, David O.
1998-
Fitzgerald, Michael W.
2012-		 Collins, Audrey B.
1994-2014		 Holcomb, John W.
2020-		   Walter, John F.
2002-		      
  Blumenfeld, Stanley, Jr.
2020-		            
October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333 		July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333 		July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333 		July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333 		July 10, 1984
98 Stat. 333 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089
Hatter, Terry J., Jr.
1979-2005		 Keller, William D.
1984-1999		 Fernandez, Ferdinand F.
1985-1989		 Wilson, Stephen V.
1985-		 Letts, J. Spencer
1985-2000		 Tevrizian, Dickran M., Jr.
1985-2005		 Baird, Lourdes G.
1992-2004		 McLaughlin, Linda H.
1992-1999
Gutierrez, Philip S.
2007-2024		 Klausner, R. Gary
2002-		 Taylor, Gary L.
1990-2004		   Selna, James V.
2003-2020		 Guilford, Andrew J.
2006-2019		 Schiavelli, George P.
2004-2008		 Cooper, Florence-Marie
1999-2010
    Wright, Otis D., II
2007-		   Sykes, Sunshine S.
2022-		 Slaughter, Fred W.
2022-		 Gee, Dolly M.
2010-		 Kronstadt, John A.
2011-2022
              Almadani, Monica R.
2024-
December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089 		November 2, 2002
116 Stat. 17582
Paez, Richard A.
1994-2000		 Timlin, Robert J.
1994-2005		 King, George H.
1995-2017		 Fischer, Dale S.
2003-2024
Otero, S. James
2003-2018		 Larson, Stephen G.
2006-2009		 Scarsi, Mark C.
2020-		 Court, Michelle W.
2024-
Aenlle-Rocha, Fernando L.
2020-		 Bernal, Jesus G.
2012-		    
1. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred these judgeships from the Southern District of California.
2. The act of November 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1758, authorized a temporary judgeship for the court, extended most recently by the act of March 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 542, which provided that the first vacancy in the district after April 27, 2025, not be filled.

 

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 751 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 752 		March 18, 1966
80 Stat. 752 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		October 20, 1978
92 Stat. 1629 		December 1, 1990
104 Stat. 5089
Crocker, Myron D.
1966-1981		 Halbert, Sherrill
1966-1969		 MacBride, Thomas J.
1966-1979		 Schwartz, Milton L.
1979-1990		 Price, Edward D.
1979-1989		 Ramirez, Raul A.
1980-1989		 Burrell, Garland E., Jr.
1992-2012
Coyle, Robert E.
1982-1996		 Wilkins, Philip C.
1969-1983		 Karlton, Lawrence K.
1979-2000		 Wanger, Oliver W.
1991-2006		 Levi, David F.
1990-2007		 Shubb, William B.3
1990-2004		 Nunley, Troy L.
2013-
Ishii, Anthony W.
1997-2012		 Garcia, Edward J.
1984-1996		 England, Morrison C., Jr.
2002-2019		 O'Neill, Lawrence J.
2007-2020		 Mendez, John A.
2008-2022		    

Drozd, Dale A.
2015-

 Damrell, Frank C., Jr.
1997-2008		 de Alba, Ana I.
2022-2023		 Thurston, Jennifer L.
2021-		 Calabretta, Daniel J. P.
2023-		    
  Mueller, Kimberly J.
2010-2024		 Sherriff, Kirk E.
2024-		        
1. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred this judgeship from the Southern District of California.
2. The act of March 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 75, transferred these judgeships from the Northern District of California.
3. The act of December 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5089, as amended by the act of October 6, 1997, 111 Stat. 1173, authorized a temporary judgeship for the court and provided that the first vacancy in the district occurring ten years or more after the confirmation date of the judge appointed to fill the temporary judgeship not be filled. In accordance with the statute, no successor to William Shubb was appointed.

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