John Kronstadt
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Assumed office
April 1, 2022
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
In office
April 14, 2011 – April 1, 2022
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byFlorence-Marie Cooper
Succeeded byMónica Ramírez Almadani
Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court
In office
2002–2011
Appointed byGray Davis
Preceded byJuelann Cathey
Succeeded byRoberto Longoria
Personal details
Born (1951-03-05) March 5, 1951 (age 72)
Washington, D.C.
EducationCornell University (AB)
Yale University (JD)

John Arnold Kronstadt (born March 5, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Early life and education

Kronstadt was born in 1951.[1] He graduated from Cornell University in 1973 with an Artium Baccalaureus[2] At Cornell, he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1976.[2] After completing law school, Kronstadt served as a law clerk for Judge William Percival Gray of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3][4]

Judicial service

State judicial service

In October 2002, governor Gray Davis appointed Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[5] He replaced Judge Juelann Cathey,[5] who had retired earlier that year following major heart surgery.[6][4]

While a superior court judge, Kronstadt presided over the case to determine rightful ownership of the Bahia Emerald, an 840-pound gemstone that has previously been valued at $372 million.[7] During his state judicial service, only one of Kronstadt's decisions was reversed.[8]

Federal judicial service

On November 17, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Kronstadt to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Central District of California[2] to a seat vacated by Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, who died on January 15, 2010.[3] On April 12, 2011, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a 96–0 vote.[9] Kronstadt received his judicial commission two days later. He assumed senior status on April 1, 2022.[4]

Personal

Kronstadt is married to California 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Bendix.[3]

References

  1. ^ Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire: John Arnold Kronstadt, (November 15, 2010). Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c President Obama Nominates Six to the United States District Court, 11/17/10 Archived 2017-01-18 at the Wayback Machine, whitehouse.gov (November 17, 2010).
  3. ^ a b c Ofgang, Kenneth (November 19, 2010). "Obama Nominates Kronstadt to U.S. District Court". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c John Kronstadt at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  5. ^ a b Laird, Lorelei (October 17, 2002). "Davis Appoints Two to Los Angeles Superior Court Bench". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Archived from the original on December 16, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  6. ^ MetNews Staff Writer (July 1, 2002). "Judge Juelann Cathey Granted Disability Retirement". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  7. ^ Victoria Kim, Trial begins in tussle over giant emerald Archived 2010-09-30 at the Wayback Machine, Los Angeles Times (September 25, 2010).
  8. ^ "Confirmation Hearings on Federal Judicial Appointments" (PDF). U.S. Senate. p. 374. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2021-08-19.
  9. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation John A. Kronstadt, of California, to be United States District Judge)". Retrieved March 8, 2023.

External links

Legal offices Preceded byFlorence-Marie Cooper Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California 2011–2022 Succeeded byMónica Ramírez Almadani
Senior district judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
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