Benchlight The federal appellate judiciary

Appointment

Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Title
Judge
Appointed by
William J. ClintonDemocratic
Seat
CA91902
Nominated
April 6, 1995
Committee hearing
July 18, 1995
Committee action
Reported (favorably)July 28, 1995
Senate vote
Voice
Confirmed
Jan. 2, 1996
Commissioned
Jan. 4, 1996
ABA rating
Well Qualified
Senior status
June 30, 2004

Source Federal Judicial Center.

Judicial service history

Every federal judicial office held, in order of appointment.

CourtTitleCommissionedEndedAppointed by
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California Judge June 30, 1980 Jan. 8, 1996 Appointment to Another Judicial Position Jimmy Carter
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Jan. 4, 1996 In service William J. Clinton

Recent judicial activity

Opinions authored and panels sat on, most recent first.

Cases

Appellate cases on which this judge sat, drawn from panel information published with each decision.

CaseNo.StatusDate
Guam Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists v. Douglas Moylan 23-15602 Decided Feb. 3, 2026
Khatibi v. Hawkins 24-3108 Decided Dec. 29, 2025
Gonzalez v. Herrera 24-2371 Decided Aug. 19, 2025
United States v. Derrick Patterson 22-50287 Decided Oct. 1, 2024 Authored
United States v. Sam Solakyan 22-50023 Decided Sept. 30, 2024
Doe I v. Cisco Systems, Inc. 15-16909 Decided Sept. 3, 2024
Justin Lytle v. Nutramax Laboratories, Inc. 22-55744 Decided Aug. 23, 2024
United States v. William Klensch 22-50222 Decided Dec. 8, 2023
Geoff Winkler v. Thomas McCloskey, Jr. 22-55856 Decided Sept. 28, 2023 Authored
Karen Hartstein v. Hyatt Corporation 22-55276 Decided Sept. 22, 2023 Authored
Orlando Garcia v. Gateway Hotel L.P. 21-55926 Decided Sept. 15, 2023
United States v. Carlos Estrada 23-50012 Decided Aug. 24, 2023 Authored
Doe I v. Cisco Systems, Inc. 15-16909 Decided July 7, 2023
DAVID SUSKI V. COINBASE, INC. 22-15209 Decided Dec. 16, 2022 Authored
DENISE MEJIA V. WESLEY MILLER 21-56282 Decided Nov. 14, 2022
MINGNAN DONG V. MERRICK GARLAND 16-70543 Decided Oct. 19, 2022 Authored
Wb Music Corp. v. Royce Intl. Broadcasting Corp. 21-55264 Decided Aug. 31, 2022 Authored
P and P Imports LLC v. Johnson Enterprises, LLC 21-55013 Decided Aug. 24, 2022
P and P Imports LLC v. Johnson Enterprises, LLC 21-55013 Decided Aug. 24, 2022
United States v. Shane Nault 20-30231 Decided July 21, 2022 Authored

Judicial writings

Opinions, concurrences and dissents attributed to this judge by the source record.

TypeCaseCourtFiled
Opinion United States v. Derrick Patterson Ninth Circuit Oct. 1, 2024
Opinion Geoff Winkler v. Thomas McCloskey, Jr. Ninth Circuit Sept. 28, 2023
Opinion Karen Hartstein v. Hyatt Corporation Ninth Circuit Sept. 22, 2023
Opinion United States v. Carlos Estrada Ninth Circuit Aug. 24, 2023
Opinion DAVID SUSKI V. COINBASE, INC. Ninth Circuit Dec. 16, 2022
Dissent MINGNAN DONG V. MERRICK GARLAND Ninth Circuit Oct. 19, 2022
Opinion Wb Music Corp. v. Royce Intl. Broadcasting Corp. Ninth Circuit Aug. 31, 2022
Dissent United States v. Shane Nault Ninth Circuit July 21, 2022
Opinion Andrew Roley v. Google LLC Ninth Circuit July 14, 2022
Concurrence California River Watch v. City of Vacaville Ninth Circuit July 1, 2022
Opinion Amber MacHowski v. 333 N. Placentia Property, LLC Ninth Circuit July 1, 2022
Opinion Pattie Walcott v. Merrick Garland Ninth Circuit Dec. 22, 2021
Opinion Pattie Walcott v. Merrick Garland Ninth Circuit Dec. 22, 2021
Opinion City of Oakland v. Oakland Raiders Ninth Circuit Dec. 2, 2021
Opinion Scott Miller v. Kshama Sawant Ninth Circuit Nov. 10, 2021
Dissent California River Watch v. City of Vacaville Ninth Circuit Sept. 29, 2021
Dissent Ironhawk Technologies, Inc. v. Dropbox, Inc. Ninth Circuit July 6, 2021
Opinion Jacquelyn McGee v. S-L Snacks National, LLC Ninth Circuit Dec. 4, 2020
Opinion In the Matter of Caleb Garrett Ninth Circuit Dec. 2, 2020
Concurrence Preslie Hardwick v. County of Orange Ninth Circuit Nov. 18, 2020