Sunshine Sykes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sunshine Sykes
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California | |
| Assumed office June 14, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | James V. Selna |
| Judge of the Riverside County Superior Court | |
| In office December 5, 2013 – June 14, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Jerry Brown |
| Preceded by | Randall White |
| Succeeded by | Magdalena Cohen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sunshine Suzanne Sykes
1974 (age 50–51) Tuba City, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Stanford University (BA, JD) |
Sunshine Suzanne Sykes (born in 1974) is an American lawyer. She is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Before this, she was a judge for the California Superior Court in Riverside County from 2013 to 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Sunshine Sykes was born in 1974 in Tuba City, Arizona. This area is part of the Navajo Nation Reservation, which is a large Native American territory. She grew up in Gallup, New Mexico.
She went to Stanford University, a well-known college. In 1997, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. This is a common type of college degree. Later, in 2001, she earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. A Juris Doctor is the degree needed to become a lawyer.
Her Career as a Lawyer and Judge
After finishing law school, Sunshine Sykes started her career helping people. From 2001 to 2003, she worked for California Indian Legal Services. This group helps Native American communities with legal issues.
She also worked as a lawyer for the Defense Panel at the Southwest Justice Center. She helped people who needed legal help. From 2005 to 2013, she worked for Riverside County, California. She was a "deputy county counsel," which means she was a lawyer who advised the county government.
In 2013, the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, chose her to become a judge. She became a judge for the Riverside County Superior Court. A superior court is a main trial court in California.
Becoming a Federal Judge
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On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Sunshine Sykes to be a federal judge. This means he suggested her for a very important job in the U.S. court system. She was nominated for the United States District Court for the Central District of California. This court handles federal cases in a part of California.
To become a federal judge, a person must be approved by the United States Senate. The Senate is part of the U.S. Congress. On February 1, 2022, a hearing was held where she answered questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee. This committee reviews people nominated for judge positions.
After the hearing, the committee voted to recommend her. Then, the full United States Senate voted to confirm her. This means they approved her for the job. On May 18, 2022, she was confirmed by a vote of 51 to 45. She officially started her new role as a federal judge on June 14, 2022.
Sunshine Sykes made history by becoming the fifth American Indian person to serve as a federal judge. This is a big step for Native American representation in the legal system.
See also
