Court News
Our weekly roundup of local court news. This post will be updated as new information comes across our desks.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Reappointment – U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
The current term of office for United States Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is due to expire on January 2, 2025. The United States District Court is required by law to establish a panel of citizens to consider the reappointment of a magistrate judge to a new 8-year term.
The duties of the magistrate judge position include the following:
- conduct of most preliminary proceedings in criminal cases;
- trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases;
- conduct of various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from the judges of the district court;
- trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and
- conduct of settlement conferences.
Comments: Members of the bar and the public are invited as to whether the panel should recommend Judge van Keulen for reappointment by the court. Comments should be submitted in writing no later than May 13, 2024, by:
Email: magistrate_comments@cand.uscourts.gov
Mail: Mark B. Busby, Clerk of Court
U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 16th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
U.S. Federal Judge Directs Alameda County District Attorney’s Office to Review all Death Penalty Cases. Judge Vince Chhabria has directed the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office to review all death penalty cases after evidence of what appears to be the exclusion of Jewish and Black jurors was found during the resentencing settlement of Mr. Ernest Dykes. Learn more
The California Judges Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2024 Adam Z. Rice Memorial Scholarships. Applicants must attend an ABA-approved law school in California or be a California resident attending an ABA-approved law school, and they must also demonstrate financial need. Interested law students must submit a two-minute-long videoanswering specific questions along with their application. Submit an application before the July 12th deadline here.
For more of our coverage on local court news, check out the ACBA Blog.