Sunshine S. Sykes

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Sunshine S. Sykes
Image of Sunshine S. Sykes

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Central District of California
Tenure

2022 - Present

Years in position

2

Prior offices
Superior Court of Riverside County

Education

Bachelor's

Stanford University

Law

Stanford Law School 

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Sunshine Sykes 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 December 15, 2021, and confirmed by the United States Senate on May 18, 2022, by a vote of 51-45.[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 her confirmation to the Central District of California, Sykes was a judge of the Superior Court of Riverside County in California. She assumed office in 2013. Sykes won re-election for judge of the Superior Court of Riverside County in California outright in the primary on March 3, 2020, after the primary and general elections were canceled.

Judicial nominations, appointments, and elections

United States District Court for the Central District of California (2022-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Sunshine Sykes to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She was confirmed by a 51-45 vote of the U.S. Senate on May 18, 2022.[1][2] Sykes received commission on June 14, 2022.[3] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Sunshine S. Sykes
Court: United States District Court for the Central District of California
Progress
Confirmed 154 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: December 15, 2021
ApprovedAABA Rating: Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: February 1, 2022
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: March 10, 2022 
ApprovedAConfirmed: May 18, 2022
ApprovedAVote: 51-45


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Sykes by a vote of 51-45 on May 18, 2022.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Sykes confirmation vote (May 18, 2022)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 46 0 2
Ends.png Republican 3 45 2
Grey.png Independent 2 0 0
Total 51 45 4

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Sykes' nomination on February 1, 2022. The committee voted to advance Sykes' nomination to the full Senate on March 10, 2022.[2]

Nomination

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Sykes to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The president officially nominated Sykes on the same day.[1][2]

Sykes was nominated to replace Judge James Selna, who assumed senior status on March 3, 2020.[2]

The American Bar Association rated Sykes Well Qualified.[4] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Superior Court of Riverside County (2013-2022)

Elections

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

Incumbent Sunshine S. Sykes was the only candidate to file and won the position by default when the election was canceled.

2014

See also: California judicial elections, 2014
Sykes ran for re-election to the Riverside County Superior Court.
Primary: She was elected in the primary on June 3, 2014, receiving 68.81 percent of the vote. She competed against Michael J. Harrington.
[5][6] 

Biography

Education

Sykes received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1997 and a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2001.[1]

Career

About the court

Central District of California
Ninth Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 28
Judges: 28
Vacancies: 0
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, Anne Hwang, Kenly Kiya Kato, Robert Klausner, Serena R. Murillo, Fernando Olguin, Mark C. Scarsi, Fred W. Slaughter, Josephine Staton, Sunshine S. Sykes, Cynthia Valenzuela, 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.[7]

The Southern Division, covering Orange County.[7]

The Western Division, covering Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.[7]

To read opinions published by this court, click 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.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The White House, "President Biden Names Eleventh Round of Judicial Nominees," December 15, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Congress.gov, "PN1486 — Sunshine Suzanne Sykes — The Judiciary," accessed December 16, 2021
  3. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Sykes, Sunshine Suzanne," accessed June 15, 2022
  4. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES, 117TH CONGRESS, last updated January 31, 2022
  5. ↑ Riverside Registrar of Voters, "Candidate list for the June 3, 2014, Statewide Primary Election," accessed March 25, 2014
  6. ↑ County of Riverside, Registrar of Voters, "Consolidated Primary Election Results," June 3, 2014
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 United States District Court for the Central District of California, Jurisdiction
Political offices
Preceded by:
James Selna 		Central District of California
2022 – Present
Seat #22 		Succeeded by:
NA



California courts

Federal courts:

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

State resources:

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

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