Trina Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trina Thompson
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| Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California | |
| Assumed office August 5, 2022 |
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| Appointed by | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Phyllis J. Hamilton |
| Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court | |
| In office January 2003 – August 5, 2022 |
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| Succeeded by | Maria Morga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 3, 1961 Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley (BA, JD) |
Trina Lynn Thompson (born June 3, 1961) is an American judge. She works as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Before this, she was a judge in the Alameda County Superior Court in California.
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Education and Early Career
Trina Thompson studied at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her first degree there in 1983. Later, she got her law degree from the UC Berkeley School of Law in 1986.
After law school, Thompson worked as a law clerk. This means she helped a judge with legal research. She then became a public defender in Alameda County. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford a lawyer.
From 1991 to 2000, she had her own law firm. She worked as a criminal defense attorney, helping people accused of crimes.
Becoming a Judge
In 2000, Trina Thompson became a Juvenile Court Commissioner. This role involved working with cases involving young people.
In 2002, she was elected as a judge for the Alameda County Superior Court. This was a big moment because she was the first African-American woman elected to that court. She officially started her role as a judge in January 2003.
In 2011, President Barack Obama asked Judge Thompson to join a special council. This group worked on issues related to juvenile justice.
Judge Thompson also shared her knowledge by teaching. From 2014 to 2021, she was a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2018, she has been a professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Federal Judicial Service
On November 3, 2021, President Joe Biden chose Trina Thompson to become a United States district judge. She was nominated for a seat that became open when Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton retired.
The process for becoming a federal judge involves several steps. First, the President nominates a person. Then, the United States Senate must approve the nomination.
On February 16, 2022, a hearing was held for her nomination. This was before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. This committee reviews judicial nominees.
On March 10, 2022, the committee voted to approve her nomination. Then, on May 18, 2022, the full Senate voted to confirm her. This meant she was officially approved to be a federal judge.
She received her official judicial commission on August 5, 2022. This made her a judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
See also
External links
- Trina Thompson at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by Phyllis J. Hamilton |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California 2022–present |
Incumbent |
