Federal Courts Update – December 2025

For more federal courts content, please see the Quarterly Federal Courts Committee Newsletter.

We are looking for new members to join our Federal Courts Committee. If you are interested, please apply at https://calawyers.org/section/litigation/standing-committees/committee-on-federal-courts/ or email Committee Chair Christina McCall at christinamccallesq@gmail.com for more information.

Eastern District of California

Applications for Magistrate Judge in Redding: The Judicial Conference has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of California at the Redding courthouse to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis M. Cota on September 2, 2026. For more information about the application process, see this Link.

Designation of Chief Bankruptcy Judge: Bankruptcy Judge Christopher D. Jaime is designated as the Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California for a term of seven (7) years, effective October 1, 2025. Link.

Southern District of California

General Order Lifting Stay of Civil Matters Involving the United States as A Party: On November 21, 2025, the Southern District issued General Order No. 766-A, lifting a prior order that had stayed all civil cases, except habeas corpus petitions, involving the United States as a party during the pendency of the government shutdown. Link.