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André Birotte Jr.
André Birotte.jpg
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Assumed office
August 8, 2014
Appointed by Barack Obama
Preceded by Gary Allen Feess
United States Attorney for the Central District of California
In office
March 4, 2010 – August 8, 2014
Appointed by Barack Obama
Preceded by Thomas P. O'Brien
Succeeded by Stephanie Yonekura
Personal details
Born (1966-08-15) August 15, 1966 (age 58)
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Education Tufts University (BS)
Pepperdine University (JD)

André Birotte Jr. (born August 15, 1966) is an important judge in the United States. He works as a federal judge for the Central District of California, which covers a big part of Southern California. Before becoming a judge, he was the United States Attorney for the same area. This means he was the top lawyer for the U.S. government in that region.

In 2014, President Barack Obama chose him to be a judge. The United States Senate agreed with this choice. They voted to confirm him on July 22, 2014.

Early Life and School

André Birotte Jr. was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1966. His parents had moved to the U.S. from Haiti.

He went to Tufts University and earned a degree in psychology in 1987. Later, he studied law at Pepperdine University School of Law. He received his law degree in 1991.

His Career Journey

After finishing law school, Birotte started working as a public defender in Los Angeles. He helped people who could not afford a lawyer. In 1995, he became an assistant United States attorney. This role meant he worked for the U.S. government to bring cases against people.

Four years later, he joined a private law firm called Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. There, he represented people who were accused of certain types of financial crimes.

Birotteportrait
André Birotte as U.S. Attorney

In 2010, President Barack Obama chose Birotte to lead the United States Attorney's office for the Central District of California. The Senate approved this choice in February 2010. He officially started on March 4, 2010. Judge Terry J. Hatter, Jr. gave him the oath of office. André Birotte Jr. was the first African-American person to hold this important position in the Central District. He was in charge of about 275 prosecutors.

Important Cases

While he was the U.S. Attorney, Birotte oversaw an investigation into former cyclist Lance Armstrong. This investigation looked into claims against Armstrong. On February 3, 2012, Birotte decided to close the case. Armstrong said he was happy with the decision. The federal investigation had been going on for two years.

Becoming a Federal Judge

On April 3, 2014, President Obama nominated Birotte to become a United States federal judge. He was chosen to fill a spot on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. This spot became open when Judge Gary Allen Feess retired.

Birotte had a hearing with the United States Senate Judiciary Committee on May 20, 2014. This committee reviews people chosen for judge positions. On June 19, 2014, the committee approved his nomination.

On July 22, 2014, the Senate voted to confirm him as a judge. The vote was 100–0, meaning everyone agreed. He officially became a judge on August 8, 2014.

Other Activities

André Birotte Jr. has also done many other things in the legal field:

  • He worked as a temporary judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court.
  • He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Judicial Appointments Committee. This committee helps choose new judges.
  • He has taught legal writing and how to argue cases at the University of Southern California Law School.
  • Earlier in his career, he was an inspector general for the Los Angeles Police Department. This role involved overseeing the police department.
  • He was on the board of directors for the Langston Bar Association from 1992 to 2003.

Personal Life

André Birotte Jr. is married and has three children.

See also

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