Esther Salas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Esther Salas
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Incumbent
Assumed office June 14, 2011
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Katharine Sweeney Hayden
Personal details
Born	(1968-12-29) December 29, 1968 (age 56) Monterey Park, California, U.S.
Spouse	Mark Anderl ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	1 son (deceased)
Education	Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA) Rutgers University, Newark (JD)

Esther Salas (born December 29, 1968) is a United States district judge. She works for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark, New Jersey. Before this, she was a United States magistrate judge for the same court from 2006 to 2011. Judge Salas is the first Hispanic woman to hold both of these important judge positions in New Jersey.

Early Life and Education

Where Judge Salas Grew Up

Esther Salas was born in Monterey Park, California. Her mother was from Cuba and her father was from Mexico. When she was five, she moved to Union City, New Jersey with her mother and siblings. Growing up, her family did not have much money. She often helped her mother by translating at the welfare office. This experience, and helping friends with their problems, made her want to work in human services.

Her School Journey

Judge Salas went to Emerson High School in Union City. She was active in school, even cheerleading. After high school in 1987, she attended Rutgers University–New Brunswick. She lived on campus and joined many clubs. She earned her first degree from Rutgers in 1991. Then, in 1994, she graduated from Rutgers University School of Law in Newark. She earned a law degree, called a Juris Doctor. She often says that a special program for minority students helped her succeed in school and her career.

Judge Salas's Career Path

Starting Her Legal Career

After law school, Judge Salas worked for a judge in the Superior Court of New Jersey. From 1995 to 1997, she worked at a law firm. There, she handled criminal cases in different courts. From 1997 to 2006, she worked as an Assistant Federal Public Defender. In this role, she helped people who could not afford a lawyer in federal cases.

Leadership and Community Work

Judge Salas was also a leader in the legal community. She served as president of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002. She also led the Hispanic Bar Foundation of New Jersey. She was part of several important committees. These included the Governor's Hispanic Advisory Committee and committees focused on minority and women's concerns in the courts.

Becoming a Federal Judge

In 2006, Esther Salas became a United States magistrate judge for the District of New Jersey. She was the first Latina to hold this position. She served in this role for five years. In 2010, she was recommended to President Barack Obama to become a federal district judge. The American Bar Association, which checks judge qualifications, rated her "well qualified." This is their highest rating.

President Obama nominated her again in 2011. The Senate confirmed her by a voice vote on June 14, 2011. This made her the first Latina to be a District Court judge in New Jersey.

Important Cases Judge Salas Has Handled

The court in New Jersey is very busy. Judge Salas often handles many civil and criminal cases at the same time.

• In 2013, she oversaw a case involving a former technology officer. This person had hacked into the mayor's email account. Judge Salas sentenced the person to five years of probation.
• She was the judge for the trial of a TV star, Teresa Giudice, and her husband. They were sentenced for bank fraud in 2014.
• In 2018, Judge Salas temporarily stopped the deportation of some Indonesian Christians. These people had fled persecution and lived in New Jersey for many years.
• Also in 2018, she sentenced a gang leader to 45 years in prison. This was for his part in serious crimes, including shootings. Judge Salas had decided earlier that his intellectual disability meant he could not face the death penalty.
• Judge Salas is currently overseeing a large lawsuit against Deutsche Bank. This case claims the bank had poor financial reporting. It also says the bank made misleading statements to investors.

Judge Salas's Family Life

Judge Salas is married to Mark A. Anderl. They married in 1993. They had a son named Daniel Anderl (born July 13, 2000). Mark Anderl is also an attorney. He used to be a prosecutor. Judge Salas and her family are Catholic.

Attack at Her Home

On July 19, 2020, an attacker came to Judge Salas's home. Her son, Daniel, who was 20 years old, opened the door. The attacker shot Daniel, and he died. Mark Anderl was also shot many times and was seriously hurt. Judge Salas was in the basement and was not injured.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) looked into the attack. The next day, they identified a 72-year-old attorney as the main suspect. This person was later found dead. The attack led to new laws to protect judges and their families.

New Laws for Judge Safety

The shooting of Daniel Anderl led to important changes. The Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021 was created. This law helps protect judges and their families. It was signed into law by President Joe Biden on December 23, 2022. New Jersey also passed its own similar law in 2021, called "Daniel's Law."

See also

In Spanish: Esther Salas para niños

• List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists
• List of first women lawyers and judges in New Jersey