United States District Court for the Eastern District of California

Last updated
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
(E.D. Cal.)
California-eastern.png
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California Map.svg
The district's jurisdiction by county with the two non-federal land divisions shown.
  Sacramento Division (north)
  Fresno Division (south)
Location Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse
More locations
Appeals to Ninth Circuit
EstablishedSeptember 18, 1966
Judges6
Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley
Officers of the court
U.S. Attorney Michelle M. Beckwith (acting)
U.S. Marshal Lasha Boyden (acting)
www.caed.uscourts.gov

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (in case citations, E.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).

Contents

The District was created on March 18, 1966, with the division of the Northern and Southern districts, leading to the creation of the Central and Eastern districts. [1]

The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of January 11,2025 the acting United States attorney is Michelle M. Beckwith.

Organization of the court

Yosemite Office of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California located in Yosemite National Park United States District Court located in Yosemite National Park.jpg
Yosemite Office of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California located in Yosemite National Park

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California is one of four federal judicial districts in California. [2] Court for the District is held at the Robert E. Coyle U.S. Courthouse in Fresno and Robert T. Matsui U.S. Courthouse in Sacramento.

Current judges

As of October 4,2024:

#TitleJudgeDuty stationBornTerm of serviceAppointed by
Active Chief Senior
21Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley Sacramento 19642013–present2024–present Obama
22District Judge Dale A. Drozd Sacramento 19552015–present Obama
23District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston Fresno 19672021–present Biden
25District Judge Daniel Calabretta Sacramento 19782023–present Biden
26District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff Fresno 19682024–present Biden
27District Judge Dena M. Coggins Sacramento 19792024–present Biden
11Senior Judge William B. Shubb Sacramento 19381990–20041996–20032004–present G.H.W. Bush
14Senior Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. inactive19471992–20122007–20082012–present G.H.W. Bush
15Senior Judge Anthony W. Ishii inactive19461997–20122008–20122012–present Clinton
18Senior Judge Lawrence Joseph O'Neill inactive19522007–20202016–20192020–present G.W. Bush
19Senior Judge John Mendez Sacramento 19552008–20222022–present G.W. Bush
20Senior Judge Kimberly J. Mueller Sacramento 19572010–20242020–20242024–present Obama

Former judges

#JudgeStateBorn–diedActive service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed byReason for
termination
1 Myron Donovan Crocker CA 1915–20101966–1981 [Note 1] 1966–19671981–2010 Eisenhower /Operation of law death
2 Sherrill Halbert CA 1901–19911966–1969 [Note 1] 1969–1991 Eisenhower /Operation of law death
3 Thomas Jamison MacBride CA 1914–20001966–1979 [Note 2] 1967–19791979–2000 Kennedy /Operation of law death
4 Philip Charles Wilkins CA 1913–19981969–19831979–19831983–1998 Nixon death
5 Lawrence K. Karlton CA 1935–20151979–20001983–19902000–2015 Carter death
6 Milton Lewis Schwartz CA 1920–20051979–19901990–2005 Carter death
7 Edward Dean Price CA 1919–19971979–19891989–1997 Carter death
8 Raul Anthony Ramirez CA 1944–present1980–1989 Carter resignation
9 Robert Everett Coyle CA 1930–20121982–19961990–19961996–2012 Reagan death
10 Edward J. Garcia CA 1928–20231984–19961996–2023 Reagan death
12 David F. Levi CA 1951–present1990–20072003–2007 G.H.W. Bush resignation
13 Oliver Winston Wanger CA 1940–present1991–20062006–2011 G.H.W. Bush retirement
16 Frank C. Damrell Jr. CA 1938–present1997–20082008–2011 Clinton retirement
17 Morrison C. England Jr. CA 1954–present2002–20192012–20162019–2024 G.W. Bush retirement
24 Ana de Alba CA 1979–present2022–2023 Biden elevation to 9th Cir.

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

Request for expansion

The six sitting judges and three senior judges have submitted a draft letter [3] to the members of the Senate and House of Representatives from the Eastern District in which they argue that population growth in the district has necessitated an increase in the number of district judges.

U.S. Attorney

See also

References

  1. http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/page/courts_district_ca.html U.S. District Courts of California, Legislative history, Federal Judicial Center
  2. 28 U.S.C.   § 84
  3. "The purpose of this letter … is to provide notice of a current crisis [In the Eastern District]| Central District Insider".