Federal Courts District Update – January 2024

For more federal courts content, please see the Quarterly Federal Courts Committee Newsletter. This quarter’s newsletter includes an interview with United States District Judge Troy L. Nunley.

We are looking for two new members to join our Federal Courts Committee. If you are interested, please apply on the website or email Committee Chair Jenn French for more information.

Southern District of California

Judicial Appointments: The Court appointed Valerie E. Torres as a full time United States Magistrate Judge. Judge Torres litigated in private practice for 12 years before joining the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California in 2014. (GO 757)

Magistrate Judge Applications: The Court is accepting applications to serve as a Magistrate Judge in the seat vacated by the anticipated retirement of Magistrate Judge Skomal in April 2024. Applications must be received no later than 5:00 pm on February 2, 2014. (GO 756) (Information for Applicants and Application)

Admission Fee Increases: Effective December 1, 2023, Court admission fees (including Pro Hac Vice admission fees) will be raised to $224.00. (GO 731-A and GO 301-K)

Retroactive Sentencing Changes: The Court adopted a protocol for processing applications for retroactive sentencing changes under Amendment 821 to the sentencing guidelines.  (GO 755)

Central District of California

Judicial Appointments: Following her Senate confirmation on November 7, 2023, Judge Kenly Kiya Kato began her service as a United States District Judge in the Court’s Eastern Division, in Courtroom 3 at the George E. Brown, Jr. United States Courthouse in Riverside.  (Judge Kato’s Procedures.)

Fee Increases: Several increases to the district court miscellaneous fee schedule went into effect on December 1, 2023, following approval by the Judicial Conference of the United States.  The amended Schedule of Feeswill be available on the Court’s website.  (Notice; Schedule of Fees.)

Eastern District of California

Emergency Plan for Managing Fresno Cases

The Eastern District is adopting an interim emergency plan to address the vacancy created by Judge de Alba’s recent elevation to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The criminal and civil caseload that was assigned to Judge de Alba will be reassigned to “NODJ”.

For criminal cases, Judge Breyer (N.D. Cal.) began presiding over changes of plea and sentencings in criminal cases previously assigned to Judge de Alba. Eastern District Judges Nunley and Drozd, who sit in Sacramento, will cover some criminal calendars as their schedules allow. Fresno’s one active district judge, Judge Thurston, will hear all other matters in criminal cases previously assigned to Judge de Alba, in addition to presiding over her own caseload. 

Currently, most motions in the NODJ civil cases will likely not be heard either in person or by videoconference and cases likely will not be tried. Chief Judge Mueller will handle all case management matters requiring a district judge’s approval, in these cases as well, including requests for extension of time, stipulations and requests for expedited hearing, for example.  If Chief Judge Mueller grants a request for hearing of a matter, the hearing most likely will be set before an active district judge sitting in the Sacramento courthouse. She also will assign active Sacramento district judges to address pending motions in this civil caseload to the extent their time allows. (Notice).

Judicial Appointments

The Court appointed a merit selection panel to assist the Court in the appointment of a full-time magistrate judge in Sacramento, California.  (GO-672).

Fee Increases: Several increases to the district court miscellaneous fee schedule went into effect on December 1, 2023, following approval by the Judicial Conference of the United States.  The amended Schedule of Feeswill be available on the Court’s website.  (GO-673, Fee Schedule)

Northern District of California

Judges: Retired United States District Judge Charles Legge passed away on December 8, 2023 at the age of 93. Judge Legge served as a district judge from 1984 until his retirement in 2001. Further information about Judge Whyte’s life can be found here.