Linda Lopez
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Assumed office
December 21, 2021
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byRoger Benitez
Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
In office
October 26, 2018 – December 21, 2021
Personal details
Born1968 (age 55–56)
Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
EducationMiami Dade College (AS, AA)
Florida International University (BA)
University of Miami (JD)

Linda Lopez (born 1968)[1] is an American attorney serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. She previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court.

Early life and education

The child of Cuban immigrants, Lopez was born in Miami, Florida and raised in the nearby suburb of Hialeah.[2] She earned an Associate of Arts in and Associate of Science degree from Miami Dade College, a Bachelor of Arts from Florida International University in 1996, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999.[3]

Career

Lopez as a magistrate judge (2018)

Lopez began her career as a criminal defense attorney in Florida, working both at a firm and as a solo practitioner. In 2007, she relocated to San Diego, where she joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender as a senior trial attorney.[3]

United States magistrate judge

Lopez was sworn in as a magistrate judge for the Southern District of California on October 26, 2018.[4]

District court service

On September 30, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Lopez to be a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. President Biden nominated Lopez to the seat vacated by Judge Roger Benitez, who assumed senior status on December 31, 2017.[5] On November 3, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[6] On December 2, 2021, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.[7] On December 17, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 47–30 vote.[8] Her nomination was confirmed later that day by a 48–25 vote.[9] She received her judicial commission on December 21, 2021.[10] At the time of her appointment, she was the only Latina on the Southern District of California.[11] She was later joined by Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro in 2022.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ Mody, Ami (July 12, 2021). "Judge Linda Lopez: Energizing the Bench with a Fresh Perspective". Federal Bar Association. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "President Biden Names Eighth Round of Judicial Nominees", White House, September 30, 2021 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ "Linda Lopez". United States Courts. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  5. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. September 30, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  6. ^ "Nominations". Washington, D.C.: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. October 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 2, 2021" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Linda Lopez to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California)". United States Senate. December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  9. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Linda Lopez, of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California)". United States Senate. December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  10. ^ Linda Lopez at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  11. ^ "Recap: Latino Judicial Nominations in 2021" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. December 23, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2023.

External links

Legal offices Preceded byRoger Benitez Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California 2021–present Incumbent
Active district judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
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