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Judicial Reform Ninth Circuit Judges
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Judges for the United States Court of Appeals: 9th Circuit
Sidney Runyan Thomas Chief Judge
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on July 19, 1995, to a seat vacated by Dorothy Wright Nelson. Confirmed by the Senate on January 2, 1996, and received commission on January 4, 1996.
Education: Montana State University, B.A., 1975; University of Montana School of Law, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Legal intern, Hon. W.W. Lessley, Montana District Court, Eighteenth Judicial District Private practice, Billings, Montana, 1978-1995; Adjunct instructor of law, Rocky Mountain College, Billings, Montana, 1982-1995
Alex Kozinski
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on June 5, 1985, to a new seat authorized by 98 Stat. 333. Confirmed by the Senate on November 7, 1985, and received commission on November 7, 1985. Served as chief judge, 2007- present.
Education: University of California, Los Angeles, A.B., 1972; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Anthony Kennedy, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1975-1976; Law clerk, Hon. Warren Burger, Supreme Court of the United States, 1976-1977; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1977-1979; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1979-1981; Deputy legal counsel, President-Elect Ronald Reagan, 1980-1981; Assistant counsel, Office of Counsel to the President, 1981; Special counsel, U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, 1981-1982; Chief judge, U.S. Court of Claims, 1982-1985
Andrew David Hurwitz
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on November 2, 2011, to a seat vacated by Mary Murphy Schroeder. Confirmed by the Senate on June 12, 2012, and received commission on June 27, 2012.
Education: Princeton University, A.B., 1968; Yale Law School, J.D., 1972
Professional Career: Connecticut Army National Guard/U.S. Army Reserve specialist 5, 1969-1975; Law clerk, Hon. Jon O. Newman, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1972; Law clerk, Hon. J. Joseph Smith, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1972-1973; Law clerk, Hon. Potter Stewart, Supreme Court of the United States, 1973-1974; Private practice, Phoenix, Arizona, 1974-1980, 1983-2003; Faculty, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, 1977-1980, 1988, 1994-1995, 2001, 2004-; Chief of staff, Gov. Bruce Babbitt, Arizona, 1980-1983; Justice, Arizona Supreme Court, 2003-2012; vice chief justice, 2009-2012
Barry G. Silverman
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on November 8, 1997, to a seat vacated by William Cameron Canby, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on January 28, 1998, and received commission on February 4, 1998. U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1995-1998
Education: Arizona State University, B.A., 1973; Arizona State University College of Law, J.D., 1976
Professional Career: Assistant city prosecutor, Phoenix, Arizona, 1976-1977; Deputy county attorney, Maricopa County, Arizona, 1977-1979; Commissioner, Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, 1979-1984; Judge, Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, 1984-1995
Carlos T. Bea
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on April 11, 2003, to a seat vacated by Charles E. Wiggins. Confirmed by the Senate on September 29, 2003, and received commission on October 1, 2003.
Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1956; Stanford Law School, J.D., 1958
Professional Career: Private practice, California, 1959-1990; Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, 1990-2003
Consuelo Maria Callahan
** Federal Judicial Service:** Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on February 12, 2003, to a seat vacated by Ferdinand F. Fernandez. Confirmed by the Senate on May 22, 2003, and received commission on May 28, 2003.
Education: Stanford University, A.B., 1972; University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 1975; University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 2004
Professional Career: Deputy city attorney, Stockton, California, 1975-1976; Office of the District Attorney, San Joaquin County, California, 1976-1986; deputy district attorney, 1976-1982; supervisory district attorney, 1982-1986; Commissioner, Stockton [California] Municipal Court, 1986-1992; Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, 1992-1996; Associate justice, California Court of Appeal, Third District, 1996-2003
Diarmuid Fionntain O'Scannlain
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on August 11, 1986, to a seat vacated by Robert Boochever. Confirmed by the Senate on September 25, 1986, and received commission on September 26, 1986.
Education: St. John`s University, B.A., 1957; Harvard Law School, J.D., 1963; University of Virginia School of Law, LL.M., 1992
Professional Career: U.S. Army Reserve, JAG Corps, 1955-1978; Tax attorney, Standard Oil Company of New Jersey and New York City, 1963-1965; Private practice, Portland, Oregon, 1965-1969, 1975-1986; Deputy attorney general, State of Oregon, 1969-1971; Public utility commissioner, State of Oregon, 1971-1973; Director, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 1973-1974; Consultant, Office of the President-Elect of the United States, 1980-1981; Team leader, President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (Grace Commission), 1982-1983; Chairman, Advisory Panel to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, 1983-1985
Harry Pregerson
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Nominated by Lyndon B. Johnson on November 29, 1967, to a new seat authorized by 80 Stat. 75. Confirmed by the Senate on December 7, 1967, and received commission on December 7, 1967. Service terminated on November 6, 1979, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on August 28, 1979, to a new seat authorized by 92 Stat. 1629. Confirmed by the Senate on October 31, 1979, and received commission on November 2, 1979.
Education: University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 1947; University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, LL.B., 1950
Professional Career: U.S. Marine Corps first lieutenant, 1944-1946; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1951-1953; Private practice, Van Nuys, California, 1953-1965; Judge, Los Angeles [California] Municipal Court, 1965-1966; Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 1966-1967
Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Central District of California. Nominated by Barack Obama on July 31, 2009, to a seat vacated by Nora Margaret Manella. Confirmed by the Senate on December 1, 2009, and received commission on December 4, 2009. Service terminated on May 15, 2012, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on September 22, 2011, to a new seat authorized by 121 Stat. 2534. Confirmed by the Senate on May 7, 2012, and received commission on May 14, 2012.
Education: Occidental College, A.B., 1987; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1991
Professional Career: Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1991-1994; Assistant U.S. attorney, Central District of California, 1995-2002; deputy chief, General Crimes Division, 2000-2002; Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, 2002-2009
Jay S. Bybee
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on January 7, 2003, to a seat vacated by Procter R. Hug, Jr.. Confirmed by the Senate on March 13, 2003, and received commission on March 21, 2003.
Education: Brigham Young University, B.A., 1977; Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, J.D., 1980
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Donald Russell, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1980-1981; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1981-1984; Attorney, Office of Legal Policy, U.S. Department of Justice, 1984-1986; Attorney, Civil Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1986-1989; Associate counsel, President George H. W. Bush, 1989-1991; Professor, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, 1991-1998; Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, 1999-2000; Assistant attorney general, Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, 2001-2002
John Byron Owens
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on January 6, 2014, to a seat vacated by Stephen S. Trott. Confirmed by the Senate on March 31, 2014, and received commission on April 2, 2014.
Education: University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1993; Stanford Law School, J.D., 1996
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. J. Clifford Wallace, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1996-1997; Law clerk, Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court of the United States, 1997-1998; Trial attorney, Office of Consumer Litigation, U.S. Department of Justice, 1998-1999; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 2000-2001; Assistant U.S. attorney, Central District of California, 2001-2004; Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of California, 2004-2012; deputy chief, Major Frauds Section, 2008-2010; chief, Criminal Division, 2010-2011; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 2012-2014
Johnnie B. Rawlinson
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Nevada. Nominated by William J. Clinton on January 27, 1998, to a seat vacated by Lloyd D. George. Confirmed by the Senate on April 2, 1998, and received commission on April 7, 1998. Service terminated on July 26, 2000, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on February 22, 2000, to a seat vacated by Melvin T. Brunetti. Confirmed by the Senate on July 21, 2000, and received commission on July 26, 2000.
Education: North Carolina A&T State University, B.S., 1974; University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 1979
Professional Career: Private practice, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1979-1980; Staff attorney, Nevada Legal Services, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1980; Office of the District Attorney, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1980-1998; deputy district attorney, 1980-1989; chief deputy district attorney, 1989-1995; assistant district attorney, 1995-1998
Kim McLane Wardlaw
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Central District of California Nominated by William J. Clinton on August 10, 1995, to a seat vacated by David V. Kenyon. Confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 1995, and received commission on December 26, 1995. Service terminated on August 3, 1998, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 27, 1998, to a seat vacated by J. Clifford Wallace. Confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 1998, and received commission on August 3, 1998.
Education: University of California, Los Angeles, A.B., 1976; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1979
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. William P. Gray, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 1979-1980; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1980-1995; Member, Justice Team I, Clinton-Gore Presidential Transition Team, 1992-1993; Member, Mayoral Transition Committee, Mayor-Elect Richard Riordan, Los Angeles, California, 1993
M. Margaret McKeown
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 7, 1997, to a seat vacated by Joseph Jerome Farris. Confirmed by the Senate on March 27, 1998, and received commission on April 8, 1998.
Education: University of Wyoming, B.A., 1972; Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Private practice, Seattle, Washington, 1975-1998; Special assistant to the secretary of the interior and special assistant at the White House, 1980-1981
Marsha Siegel Berzon
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 26, 1999, to a seat vacated by John T. Noonan. Confirmed by the Senate on March 9, 2000, and received commission on March 16, 2000.
Education: Radcliffe College, B.A., 1966; University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. James R. Browning, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1973-1974; Law clerk, Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States, 1974-1975; Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1975-1977; Lecturer, University of California, Berkeley, 1992; Practitioner-in-residence, Cornell School of Law, 1994; Private practice, San Francisco, California, 1978-2000
Mary Helen Murguia
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona Nominated by William J. Clinton on July 21, 2000, to a new seat authorized by 113 Stat. 1501. Confirmed by the Senate on October 3, 2000, and received commission on October 13, 2000. Service terminated on January 4, 2011, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on March 25, 2010, to a seat vacated by Michael D. Hawkins. Confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 2010, and received commission on January 4, 2011.
Education: University of Kansas, B.S., B.A., 1982; University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 1985
Professional Career: Assistant district attorney, Wyandotte County, Kansas, 1985-1990; Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Arizona, 1990-2000; Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Department of Justice, 1998-2000; counsel to the director's staff, 1998-1999; principal deputy director, 1999; director, 1999-2000
Michelle Taryn Friedland
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Nominated on January 6, 2014, to a seat vacated by Raymond C. Fisher. Confirmed by the Senate on April 28, 2014, and received commission on April 29, 2014.
Education: Stanford University, B.S., 1995; Stanford Law School, J.D., 2000
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. David Tatel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 2000-2001; Law clerk, Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court of the United States, 2001-2002; Lecturer in law, Stanford Law School, 2002-2004; Private practice, San Francisco, California, 2004-2014
Milan Dale Smith Jr.
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on February 14, 2006, to a seat vacated by A. Wallace Tashima. Confirmed by the Senate on May 16, 2006, and received commission on May 18, 2006.
Education: Brigham Young University, B.A., 1966; University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1969
Professional Career: Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1969-2006; President and general counsel, Los Angeles [California] Building Authority, 1983-2006; Vice chairman, California Fair Employment and Housing Commission, 1987-1991
Morgan Christen
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on May 18, 2011, to a seat vacated by Andrew Jay Kleinfeld. Confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 2011, and received commission on January 11, 2012.
Education: University of Washington, B.A., 1983; Golden Gate University School of Law, J.D., 1986
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Brian Shortell, Alaska Superior Court, 1986-1987; Private practice, Anchorage, Alaska, 1987-2002; Judge, Alaska Superior Court, 2002-2009; presiding judge, 2005-2009; Justice, Alaska Supreme Court, 2009-2011
N. Randy Smith
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 16, 2007, to a seat vacated by Thomas G. Nelson. Confirmed by the Senate on February 15, 2007, and received commission on March 19, 2007.
Education: Brigham Young University, B.S., 1974; Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, J.D., 1977
Professional Career: Associate and assistant general counsel, J.R. Simplot Company, 1977-1981; Adjunct professor, Boise State University, 1979-1981; Private practice, Pocatello, Idaho, 1982-1995; Adjunct professor, Idaho State University, 1984-; District judge, Idaho District Court, Sixth Judicial District, 1995-2007
Paul Jeffrey Watford
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on October 17, 2011, to a seat vacated by Pamela Ann Rymer. Confirmed by the Senate on May 21, 2012, and received commission on May 22, 2012.
Education: University of California, Berkeley, B.A., 1989; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1994
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1994-1995; Law clerk, Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court of the United States, 1995-1996; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1996-1997, 2000-2012; Assistant U.S. attorney, Central District of California, 1997-2000; Lecturer-in-law, University of Southern California, Gould School of Law, 2007-2009
Richard A. Paez
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court, Central District of California Nominated by William J. Clinton on March 9, 1994, to a new seat authorized by 104 Stat. 5089. Confirmed by the Senate on June 15, 1994, and received commission on June 16, 1994. Service terminated on March 17, 2000, due to appointment to another judicial position. Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 26, 1999, to a seat vacated by Cecil F. Poole. Confirmed by the Senate on March 9, 2000, and received commission on March 14, 2000.
Education: Brigham Young University, B.A., 1969; University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1972
Professional Career: Staff attorney, California Rural Legal Assistance, 1972-1974; Staff attorney, Western Center on Law and Poverty, 1974-1976; Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, California, 1976-1981; senior counsel, 1976-1978; director of litigation, 1978-1979; deputy director of litigation, 1979-1980; acting executive director and director of litigation, 1980-1981; Judge, Los Angeles [California] Municipal Court, 1981-1994
Richard C. Tallman
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on October 20, 1999, to a seat vacated by Betty Binns Fletcher. Confirmed by the Senate on May 24, 2000, and received commission on May 25, 2000.
Education: University of Santa Clara (now Santa Clara University), B.Sc., 1975; Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1978
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Morell E. Sharp, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, 1978-1979; Trial attorney, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1979-1980; Assistant U.S. attorney, Western District of Washington, 1980-1983; Private practice, Seattle, Washington, 1983-2000
Richard R. Clifton
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on September 4, 2001, to a seat vacated by Cynthia Holcomb Hall. Confirmed by the Senate on July 18, 2002, and received commission on July 30, 2002.
Education: Princeton University, A.B., 1972; Yale Law School, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Herbert Y.C. Choy, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1975-1976; Private practice, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1977-2002; Adjunct professor, Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii, 1978-1980, 1983-1989
Ronald Murray Gould
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 26, 1999, to a seat vacated by Robert R. Beezer. Confirmed by the Senate on November 17, 1999, and received commission on November 22, 1999.
Education: University of Pennsylvania, B.S., 1968; University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1973
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Wade H. McCree, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1973-1974; Law clerk, Hon. Potter Stewart, Supreme Court of the United States, 1974-1975; Adjunct professor, University of Washington Law School, 1986-1989; Private practice, Seattle, Washington, 1975-1999
Sandra Segal Ikuta
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on February 8, 2006, to a seat vacated by James R. Browning. Confirmed by the Senate on June 19, 2006, and received commission on June 23, 2006.
Education: University of California, Berkeley, A.B., 1976; Columbia University, M.S., 1978; University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1988
Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1988-1989; Law clerk, Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court of the United States, 1989-1990; Private practice, California, 1990-2004; Deputy secretary and general counsel, California Resources Agency, 2004-2006
Stephen Roy Reinhardt
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on November 30, 1979, to a new seat authorized by 92 Stat. 1629. Confirmed by the Senate on September 11, 1980, and received commission on September 11, 1980.
Education: Pomona College, B.A., 1951; Yale Law School, LL.B., 1954
Professional Career: U.S. Air Force, 1954-1956; Law clerk, Hon. Luther W. Youngdahl, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, 1956-1957; Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1957-1980
Susan P. Graber
Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on July 30, 1997, to a seat vacated by Edward Leavy. Confirmed by the Senate on March 17, 1998, and received commission on March 19, 1998.
Education: Wellesley College, B.A., 1969; Yale Law School, J.D., 1972
Professional Career: Assistant attorney general, Legal Division, New Mexico Bureau of Revenue, 1972-1974; Private practice, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1974-1975; Private practice, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1975-1978; Private practice, Portland, Oregon, 1978-1988; Presiding judge, Oregon Court of Appeals, Department 3, 1988-1990; Associate justice, Supreme Court of Oregon, 1990-1998
William A. Fletcher
** Federal Judicial Service:** Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Nominated on January 7, 1997, to a seat vacated by William Albert Norris. Confirmed by the Senate on October 8, 1998, and received commission on October 9, 1998.
Education: Harvard College, B.A., 1968; University of Oxford, B.A., 1970; Yale Law School, J.D., 1975
Professional Career: U.S. Navy lieutenant, 1970-1972; Law clerk, Hon. Stanley A. Weigel, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 1975-1976; Law clerk, Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States, 1976-1977; Professor of law, University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, 1977-1998