A judge in California’s specialized State Bar Court, Valenzuela has been tapped for a seat on the Central District of California.

Background

Born in 1969, Valenzuela received her B.A. from the University of Arizona in 1991 and a J.D. from the University of California Los Angeles Law School in 1995. Valenzuela then spent three years as Special Assistant to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and an additional three as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

In 2000, Valenzuela became an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. In 2006, she left to become head of national litigation with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. In 2011, Valenzuela became a Criminal Justice Act Supervising Attorney with the Central District of California.

In 2016, the California Supreme Court appointed Valenzuela to become a judge on the California State Bar Court, where she currently serves.

History of the Seat

Valenzuela has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to replace Judge Philip Gutierrez, who will take senior status on October 15, 2024.

Legal Experience

Valenzuela started her legal career working for the United States Commission on Civil Rights, where she worked as an advisor to the Vice-Chairman. She then spent two years as a civil rights attorney with the Department of Justice.

In 2000, Valenzuela became a federal prosecutor in the Central District of California. Among her notable cases as a federal prosecutor, Valenzuela prosecuted a health care fraud case ending in an 18 month sentence. See United States v. Usanga, CR-04-273-LGB (C.D. Cal.) (Baird, J.). She also prosecuted a bank robbery case that resulted in a jury trial and conviction. See United States v. Ayers, CR 01-286-R (C.D. Cal.) (Real, J.).

From 2006 to 2011, Valenzuela worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), where she served as the National Vice President of Litigation. Notably, Valenzuela represented students challenging the Tucson Unified School District’s school assignment plan as racially discriminatory against black and Mexican students. See Fisher v. United States, 549 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (D. Ariz. 2006) (Bury, J.).

From 2011 to 2016, Valenzuela managed the Central District of California’s indigent defense panel under the Criminal Justice Act, setting standards and monitoring counsel appointed for indigent defendants.

Jurisprudence

Since 2016, Valenzuela has served as a judge on the California State Bar Court, which allows her to preside over attorney disciplinary matters. In this role, Valenzuela presided over more than 100 bench trials involving attorney disciplinary proceedings.

Notably, Valenzuela ruled that attorney Benjamin Povone’s reference to a judge as “succubistic” did not warrant discipline as it was protected by the First Amendment. See Lawyer Draws One-Month Suspension for Potshots, Metropolitan News-Enterprise, Feb. 16, 2022, http://www.metnews.com/articles/2022/SUCCUBUSTIC_021622.htm. However, Valenzuela nonetheless recommended a one-month suspension based on filings that accused a judge of bias and partiality. See id.

Political Activity

Valenzuela has a handful of political contributions to her name, including donations to Presidents Obama and Biden, and to Governor Gavin Newsom.

Overall Assessment

Coming from a court primarily focused on issues of ethics rather than of regular litigation Valenzuela would bring a different background to the bench. Nonetheless, Valenzuela’s two decades of experience with criminal and civil litigation should give her the base needed to manage a docket as a trial judge.

For the past twelve years, Judge Michelle Williams Court has served on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Judge Court has now been nominated for a promotion to the federal bench.

Background

Born in 1966, Court received her B.A. from Pomona College in 1988 and a J.D. from Loyola Law School in 1993. Court then spent a year at Gilbert Kelly Crowley & Jennett and a year at the ACLU of Southern California before joining Litt & Marquez.

In 1999, Court moved to the Department of Housing and Urban Development as a fellow and civil rights specialist and then spent two years at Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach.

In 2002, Court joined Bet Tzedek Legal Services, becoming Vice President and General Counsel. In 2012, she became a Judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, where she serves as supervising judge in the civil division.

History of the Seat

Court has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to a seat vacated on May 1, 2024, by Judge Dale Fischer.

Legal Experience

The first decade out of law school, Court moved between a number of different positions, both in private practice and in government. During this time, while at Litt & Associates, Court represented Julie Biggs, who filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Redlands, claiming that the City had threatened to cut ties with Biggs’ law firm as retaliation for the political activities of Biggs’ husband. See Biggs v. Best, Best & Krieger, 189 F.3d 989 (9th Cir. 1999). The Ninth Circuit reversed the denial of summary judgment based on qualified immunity. See id. at 997.

In 2002, Court joined Bet Tzedek Legal Services. While at the firm, Court represented amici in support of a City of Los Angeles ordinance preventing landlords of public housing from increasing rents on tenants after the Section 8 housing contract is terminated. See Apartment Ass’n of L.A. v. City of L.A., 38 Cal. Rptr. 3d 575 (Cal. App. 3d Div. 2006). Court also represented amici supporting a City of Santa Monica suit against a landlord for alleged violations of the health and building codes. See City of Santa Monica v. Gonzalez, 182 P.3d 1027 (Cal. 2008).

Jurisprudence

Since 2012, Court has served as a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In this role, Court has presided over trial court matters in criminal, civil, family, and other state law matters. Currently, Court presides in the civil division of the court. Notably, Court presided over a lawsuit brought by Kiara Belen, a model who alleged that the show Shahs of Sunset used her likeness without her permission. See Belen v. Ryan Seacrest Prods. LLC. et al., 65 Cal. App. 5th 1145 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2021). Court denied a motion to strike/dismiss the complaint under California’s anti-SLAPP law, which was largely affirmed by the Court of Appeals. See id.

Among her notable cases, Court granted summary judgment against claims brought by a man who fell over a retaining wall on a trail, significantly injuring himself. See Arvizu v. City of Pasadena, 21 Cal. App. 5th 760 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2018). Court ruled that the trail immunity statute barred the plaintiff’s claims and the Court of Appeals affirmed. See id. By contrast, the Court of Appeals reversed Court’s dismissal of product liability claims brought by plaintiffs alleging injuries from Memory Gel breast implants. See Mize v. Mentor Worldwide LLC, 51 Cal. App. 5th 850 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2020).

In another notable case, Court was reversed by the Court of Appeals where she denied a motion to compel arbitration in an employment dispute. See Alvarez v. Altamed Health Services Corp., 60 Cal. App. 5th 572 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2021). Similarly, in another case, Court was again reversed for refusing to enforce an arbitration contract as substantively unconscionable under California law. See Basith v. Lithia Motors, Inc., 90 Cal. App. 5th 951 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2021).

Overall Assessment

If confirmed, Court would join the federal bench with extensive experience with litigation as well as California law. That being said, she may draw questions in the confirmation process regarding her reversals from the Court of Appeals on issues of arbitration.

Judge Anne Hwang currently serves on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. If confirmed to the federal bench, Hwang would bring a background in litigation and in indigent defense to the bench.

Background

Born in 1976, Anne Hwang received a B.A. from Cornell University in 1997 and a J.D. from the University of Southern California Law School in 2002. After graduating, Hwang worked as a litigation associate at Irell & Manella LLP for four years and then became a federal public defender with the Central District of California.

In December 2018, Hwang was appointed to the Superior Court for Los Angeles County by Governor Jerry Brown, where she has served since.

History of the Seat

Hwang has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to a seat vacated on November 3, 2023, by Judge George Wu.

Legal Experience

Hwang started her legal career at the firm of Irell & Manella LLP. While at the firm, Hwang represented NBC Studios in a contract dispute with the production company Sander/Moses . See Sander/Moses Prods. Inc. v. NBC Studios, Inc., 48 Cal. Rptr. 3d 525 (Cal. App. 4th 2006).

Hwang spent the bulk of her career as a federal public defender based in Los Angeles. Notably, Hwang represented Veronica Garcia-Lopez who was convicted of illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been deported for trafficking 4.2 ounces of cocaine. See United States v. Garcia-Lopez, 691 F. Supp. 2d 1099 (C.D. Cal. 2010). Hwang was able to present sufficient mitigation to convince Judge Cormac Carney that the 41-51 month sentencing guidelines range was unduly harsh. See id. at 1101. Carney instead imposed a six month sentence on the defendant. See id. at 1105.

Jurisprudence

Since 2019, Hwang has served as a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In this role, Hwang presides over trial court matters in criminal, civil, family, and other state law matters. Notably, as a judge, Hwang dismissed a lawsuit brought against Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon and the probation department by the families of an officer fatally shot by an individual previously prosecuted and given a plea deal by Gascon. Judge Finds Issues with Suit’s Breach of Mandatory Duty Claims, My News LA, Sept. 11, 2023, https://mynewsla.com/crime/2023/09/11/judge-finds-issues-with-suits-breach-of-mandatory-duty-claims/#google_vignette. Hwang nonetheless allowed the plaintiffs to amend their suit. See id.

Hwang has also been active in the Korean American community as a judge, speaking, for example as a Korean American Bar Association event on implicit bias in 2022.

Overall Assessment

Having practiced both civil and criminal law in the Los Angeles area for two decades at this point, as well as serving as a sitting state court judge, Hwang can be deemed to have the experience needed to be a U.S. District Judge. Nonetheless, Hwang’s nomination is likely to draw opposition based on her extensive experience in indigent defense, which has proved to be contentious in the confirmation process.

Los Angeles based judge Wesley Hsu, a former federal prosecutor, has been tapped for the federal bench.

Background

Wesley Hsu got a B.A. degree from Yale University in 1993, and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1996. After graduating, Hsu clerked for Judge Mariana Pfaelzer on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

After his clerkship, Hsu joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. In 2000, he shifted to become a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. He held that post until he was appointed to the state bench by Governor Jerry Brown in 2017. Hsu currently serves as a state judge.

History of the Seat

Hsu has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to a seat vacated on February 14, 2022, by Judge Virginia Phillips’ move to senior status.

Legal Experience

Hsu started his legal career at the firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Hsu worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office between 2000 and 2017, working as chief of the cyber crimes and property crimes section between 2008 and 2015 and as executive assistant U.S. attorney between 2015 and 2017. Hsu prosecuted Andy Garcia for hacking into the network of ViewSonic, a company that manufactures monitors. See Larry Dignan, Who Can You Trust?; Disgruntled Insiders Have Always Been the Biggest Threat to Your Network. But Now Geopolitical Tensions Raise the Ante on Checking Backgrounds of Those You Think You Can Trust, Baseline, Mar. 1, 2003.

Notably, Hsu prosecuted Michael Barrett, who plead guilty for secretly filming ESPN reporter Erin Andrews while she was nude. See Greg Risling, Westmont Man to Plead Guilty in Nude Video Case, Chicago Daily Herald, Dec. 11, 2009. Hsu also prosecuted Gilberto Sanchez, who pirated the movie “Wolverine.” See Michael Wilson, How a Bronx Glass Installer Became the Web Pirate Who Leaked ‘Wolverine’, N.Y. Times, Jan. 13, 2010.

In one of his biggest cases, Hsu prosecuted Hunter Moore, who created the site IsAnyoneUp.com, which allowed for widespread publication and dissemination of “revenge porn.” See Fred Shuster, Man Pleads Not Guilty in Internet ‘Revenge Porn’ Case, City News Service, Feb. 7, 2014. Moore was ultimately sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Doug Bolton, ‘King of Revenge Porn’ and IsAnyoneUp Owner Hunter Moore Given Two and a Half Years in Prison; Moore’s Website Specialized in Posting ‘Revenge Porn’ Pictures of People That Had Either Been Sent in by Ex-Partners or Stolen Through the Hacking of Victims’ Email Accounts, The Indepedent, Dec. 4, 2015.

Jurisprudence

Since 2017, Hsu has served as a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In this role, Hsu presides over trial court matters in criminal, civil, family, and other state law matters. Hsu is currently assigned to the Family Law Divison of the court.

Political Activity

Hsu has a couple of political contributions to his name, including one to State Controller John Chiang, a Democrat.

Statements and Releases

In 2014, Hsu was profiled in a Forbes article by Kashmir Hill. See Kashmir Hill, The Cyber Prosecutor Sending Nude-Photo Thieves to Prison, Forbes, July 31, 2014, https://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/07/31/federal-prosecutor-nude-photo-hackers/?sh=80ab4c9ed6c2. The article discusses Hsu’s high-profile prosecutions, including those of Barrett and Moore. In the article, Hsu notes that he wanted to become a prosecutor after his parents were struck and injured by a drunk driver when he was a teenager. See id. Hsu also discussed his desire to be careful in prosecutions so as not to chill First Amendment activity, but also noted his hope to prosecute internet trolls to deter cyber-bullying. Id.

Overall Assessment

There is little in Hsu’s background that should complicate a comfortable confirmation. With a fairly conventional background, he should be confirmed relatively swiftly.

Monica Ramirez Almadani is the second Biden nominee to the Central District of California to have served as President of Public Counsel, after Judge Hernan Vera.

Background

A native Californian, Ramirez Almadani received a B.A. from Harvard University in 2001 and a J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2004.

After law school, Ramirez Almadani clerked for Judge Warren Ferguson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She then joined the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project as a staff attorney. In 2009, Ramirez Almadani moved to the Department of Justice as counsel to Assistant Secretary Tom Perez and then as senior counsel and chief of staff for Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

In 2012, Ramirez Almadani moved to Los Angeles to be a federal prosecutor. Three years later, she shifted to the Attorney General’s Office, serving as a senior advisor to then Attorney General Kamala Harris.

In 2017, Ramirez Almadani joined Covington & Burling as a special counsel. She held that position until she became President of the public interest law firm Public Counsel.

History of the Seat

Ramirez Almadani has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, to a seat vacated on April 1, 2022, by Judge John Kronsdadt.

Legal Experience

While Ramirez Almadani has held a variety of positions throughout her legal career, she has particularly made a name for herself in the field of immigration law. For example, she represented Juan Manuel Montes, a beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, who sued the Trump Administration after he was deported. See Deported DACA Recipient Sues Trump Administration for Unlawfully Withholding Information, Targeted News Service, Apr. 18, 2017. Ramirez Almadani was the primary attorney in the suit under the Freedom of Information Act. See Ray Sanchez, Laura Jarrett and Rosalina Nieves, Judge Attacked by Trump Could Order Return of Deported Man, CNN.com, Aug. 23, 2017.

Ramirez Almadani also represented the California state legislature as amicus curiae in a Chicago suit challenging Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ conditioning of grants to the end of sanctuary city policies. See City of Chi. v. Sessions, 888 F.3d 272 (7th Cir. 2018). She was part of the legal team for the City of Los Angeles in another suit challenging the same policies under Attorney General Bill Barr. See City of Los Angeles v. Barr, 941 F.3d 931 (9th Cir. 2019).

Similarly, in her role as co-Director of the Immigration Clinic of the University of California, Irvine, Ramirez Almadani represented Kelvin Hernandez Roman, who sued the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for failing to comply with California sanctuary laws. See

Writings & Commentary

In her roles, Ramirez Almadani has frequently commented on the law in the media. For example, she criticized Republican John Cox’s statements on forcing homeless individuals to get mental health treatment. See Meghan Roos, Mental Health Experts Assail John Cox’s Plan to ‘Force’ Homeless Into Treatment, Newsweek.com, June 29, 2021.

In 2022, Ramirez Almadani was Berkeley Law’s graduation ceremony speaker. See Staci Zaretsky, Law Schools Are Bringing Out the Best Legal Names as Speakers for In-Person Graduation Ceremonies, Above the Law, May 11, 2022.

Overall Assessment

Of all the pending California nominees, Ramirez Almadani is likely to draw the most opposition. Republicans will likely object to her work at the ACLU and in suing the Trump Administration. Nonetheless, the expanded Democratic senate majority should be sufficient to confirm her.