Michelle Williams Court

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Michelle Williams Court

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Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Central District of California
Tenure

2024 - Present

Years in position

0

Predecessor
Prior offices
Superior Court of Los Angeles County

Education

Bachelor's

Pomona College

Law

Loyola Law School 

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Michelle Williams Court is a judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She was nominated to the court by President Joe Biden (D) on April 30, 2024, and confirmed by the United States Senate on September 18, 2024, by a vote of 49-44.[1][2] To see a full list of judges appointed by Joe Biden, click here.

The United States District Court for the Central District of California is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Prior to joining the court, Court was a judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.[3]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Central District of California (2024-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Court to the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3] She was confirmed by a 49-44 vote of the U.S. Senate on September 18, 2024. Court received commission on November 7, 2024.[2] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Michelle Williams Court
Court: United States District Court for the Central District of California
Progress
Confirmed 141 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: April 30, 2024
ApprovedAABA Rating: Well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: May 22, 2024
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: July 11, 2024 
ApprovedAConfirmed: September 18, 2024
ApprovedAVote: 49-44


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Court by a vote of 49-44 on September 18, 2024.[1] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Court confirmation vote (September 18, 2024)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 46 0 1
Ends.png Republican 1 44 4
Grey.png Independent 2 0 2
Total 49[4] 44 7

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Court's nomination on May 22, 2024. Court was reported to the full Senate on July 11, 2024, after an 11-10 committee vote.[5] Click here for a list of other nominees awaiting a committee vote.

Nomination

On April 24, 2024, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Michelle Williams Court to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The president officially nominated her on April 30, 2024.[1] Click here for a list of other nominees who have been nominated by President Joe Biden.

The American Bar Association (ABA) rated Court well qualified.[6] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Court was nominated to replace Judge Dale Fischer, who assumed senior status on May 1, 2024.[7]

Biography

Early life and education

Court was born in 1966 in Great Falls, Montana. She received her undergraduate degree from Pomona College in 1988 and her J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1993.[2][8]

Career

  • 2024-present: Judge, United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • 2012-2024: Judge, Superior Court of Los Angeles County
    • 2023-2024: supervising judge, Civil Division
    • 2021-2022: assistant supervising judge, Civil Division
  • 2002-2012: Bet Tzedek Legal Services
    • 2009-2012: vice president and general counsel
    • 2004-2009: director of litigation
    • 2002-2004: deputy director of litigation
  • 2006: Adjunct professor, Loyola Law School
  • 2000-2002: Senior associate, Milberg LLP
  • 1999-2000: Community builder fellow and civil rights specialist, Dept of Housing and Urban Development
  • 1995-1999: Litigation associate, Litt and Marquez
  • 1994-1995: Project attorney, ACLU
  • 1993-1994: Associate, Gilbert Kelly Crowley and Jennett[8][2]

About the court

Central District of California
Ninth Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 28
Judges: 25
Vacancies: 3
Judges
Chief: Dolly Gee
Active judges: Fernando Aenlle-Rocha, Mónica Ramírez Almadani, Percy Anderson, Jesus Bernal, André Birotte Jr., Stanley Blumenfeld, David Carter, Michelle Williams Court, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, Michael Fitzgerald, Sherilyn P. Garnett, Dolly Gee, John William Holcomb, Wesley L. Hsu, Kenly Kiya Kato, Robert Klausner, Fernando Olguin, Mark C. Scarsi, Fred W. Slaughter, Josephine Staton, Sunshine S. Sykes, Hernán D. Vera, John Walter, Stephen Wilson, Otis Wright

Senior judges:
Valerie Baker Fairbank, Dale Fischer, Terry Hatter, Aaron Kampfe, William Duffy Keller, John A. Kronstadt, Ronald Lew, Consuelo Marshall, Virginia Phillips, Dean Pregerson, James Selna, Christina Snyder, George Wu


The United States District Court for the Central District of California is one of 94 United States district courts. The court serves about seventeen million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population. The district operates out of courthouses in Santa Ana, Riverside and two locations in Los Angeles. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse. Initial appeals are heard in Pasadena at the Richard Chambers Courthouse. The Central District of California has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are three court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Eastern Division, covering Riverside and San Bernardino counties.[9]

The Southern Division, covering Orange County.[9]

The Western Division, covering Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.[9]

To read opinions published by this court, click [Ihttps://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/newsworthy/opinions-and-orders here].

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Los Angeles County, California (2020)

Incumbent Michelle Williams Court was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

2014

See also: California judicial elections, 2014
Court ran for re-election to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
As an unopposed incumbent, she was automatically re-elected without appearing on the ballot.[10] 

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michelle Williams Court did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

See also

External links

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Congress.gov, "PN1649 — Michelle Williams Court — The Judiciary," accessed May 1, 2024
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Federal Judicial Center, "Court, Michelle Williams," accessed September 18, 2024
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Federal Judicial Center, "President Biden Names Forty-Eighth Round of Judicial Nominees," accessed April 24, 2024
  4. ↑ Note: The bolded number reflects the largest number.
  5. ↑ U.S Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 11, 2024," July 11, 2024
  6. ↑ American Bar Association, "STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY," accessed May 21, 2024
  7. ↑ Judge Fischer's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Office of the California Governor, Press Release: "Governor Appoints Six to Los Angeles County Superior Court," December 27, 2011
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 United States District Court for the Central District of California, Jurisdiction
  10. ↑ Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk: Candidate list for 6/3/2014 primary election, accessed March 17, 2014

Political offices
Preceded by
Dale Fischer 		United States District Court for the Central District of California
2024-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		Superior Court of Los Angeles County
2011-2024		 Succeeded by
-


California courts

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Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California

State courts:

California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts

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Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California

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