Ricardo Hinojosa
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
In office November 13, 2009 – November 13, 2016
Preceded by	Hayden Wilson Head Jr.
Succeeded by	Lee H. Rosenthal
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Incumbent
Assumed office May 5, 1983
Appointed by	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	Woodrow Bradley Seals
Personal details
Born	Ricardo H. Hinojosa (1950-01-24) January 24, 1950 (age 74) Rio Grande City, Texas
Education	University of Texas (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.)

Ricardo H. Hinojosa (born January 24, 1950) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and served as the Chairman of the United States Sentencing Commission.

Education and career

Born in Rio Grande City, Texas, Hinojosa received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas, Austin in 1972, and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1975. He was a law clerk to the Texas Supreme Court from 1975 to 1976. He was then in private practice in McAllen, Texas until 1983.^[1]

Federal judicial service

On April 12, 1983, Hinojosa was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas vacated by Judge Woodrow Bradley Seals. Hinojosa was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 4, 1983, and received his commission on May 5, 1983. He was appointed as a commissioner on the United States Sentencing Commission by then President George W. Bush in 2003. He served as Chief Judge from 2009 to 2016.^[1] Following the assumption of senior status by José A. Cabranes, Hinojosa is the longest-serving federal judge remaining in active service.