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 serves as a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. This court handles federal cases in the northern part of California. Before becoming a federal judge, she worked as a judge for the Alameda County Superior Court.
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Education and Early Career
Thompson was born in Oakland, California. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1983. She continued her studies at the UC Berkeley School of Law and received her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1986.
After finishing law school, Thompson began her career in the legal field. From 1986 to 1991, she worked in the Alameda County Public Defender's Office. First, she was a law clerk, and later she became a deputy public defender. A public defender is a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford to hire their own attorney.
From 1991 to 2000, she ran her own law firm in Oakland. During this time, she worked as a criminal defense attorney.
Work as a Judge
In 2000, Thompson started working as a Juvenile Court Commissioner. This role involves making decisions in cases involving young people.
In 2002, the people of Alameda County elected her to be a judge on the Superior Court. This was a historic moment because she was the first African-American woman elected to this court. She officially started this job in January 2003 and served there for nearly 20 years.
While she was a judge, she also helped teach future lawyers. From 2014 to 2021, she taught classes at the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2018, she has been a professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Joining the Federal Court
On November 3, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Thompson to become a federal judge. A federal judge is chosen by the President and must be approved by the United States Senate. She was nominated to fill a seat left open by Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton.
The Senate held a hearing to ask her questions in February 2022. On May 18, 2022, the Senate voted to confirm her nomination. She officially received her commission, which is the document allowing her to start her job, on August 5, 2022.
Important Rulings
As a federal judge, Thompson makes decisions on important cases. On December 31, 2025, she made a ruling regarding immigration. She stopped the government from removing a special status called "temporary protected status" for immigrants from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. This status allows people from countries facing difficulties to stay and work in the United States safely.
See also
