The United States District Court for the Central District of California (in case citations, C.D. Cal.; commonly referred to as the CDCA or CACD) serves over 19 million people in Southern and Central California, making it the most populous federal judicial district.[1] The district was created on September 18, 1966.
California was admitted as a state on September 9, 1850, and was initially divided into two districts, the Northern and the Southern, by Act of Congress approved September 28, 1850, 9 Stat. 521.[2] The boundary line was at the 37th parallel of North Latitude.[3] The Southern District of California was abolished and the State made to constitute a single district – the United States District Court for the District of California – by Act of Congress approved July 27, 1866, 14 Stat. 300.[2][3] Twenty years later, on August 5, 1886, Congress re-created the Southern District of California by 24 Stat. 308,[3] but it was not until March 18, 1966, that the Eastern and Central Districts were created from portions of the Northern and Southern Districts by 80 Stat. 75.[2]
The United States Attorney for the Central District represents the United States Government in civil and criminal cases before the court. The United States Attorney has been Nicola T. Hanna since January 5, 2018. United States Attorneys are appointed to their positions by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. They work in the Executive Branch of government under the Department of Justice and are not officials in the Judicial Branch. United States Attorneys report to the Attorney General of the United States.[4]
Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.
A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.
When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.
Succession of seats
Seat 1
Seat reassigned from Southern District on September 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75
^Initially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1935 by Franklin D. Roosevelt; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^Initially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1950 by Harry S. Truman; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^Initially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1942 by Franklin D. Roosevelt; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^Initially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1955 by Dwight D. Eisenhower; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^Initially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1961 by John F. Kennedy; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^ abcInitially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1962 by John F. Kennedy; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^ abInitially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1965 by Lyndon B. Johnson; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.
^ abInitially appointed to the Southern District of California in 1966 by Lyndon B. Johnson; reassigned to the Central District of California in 1966.