James E. Simmons Jr.

{{Infobox judge

| honorific-prefix =

| name = James E. Simmons Jr.

| honorific-suffix =

| image = James E. Simmons Jr.png

| alt =

| caption =

| office = Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California

| term_start = March 10, 2023

| term_end =

| appointer = Joe Biden

| predecessor = Anthony J. Battaglia

| successor =

| office1 = Judge of the San Diego County Superior Court

| term_start1 = November 2, 2017

| term_end1 = March 10, 2023

| appointer1 = Jerry Brown

| predecessor1 = David M. Szumowski

| successor1 = Alejandro Morales

| pronunciation =

| birth_name = James Edward Simmons Jr.

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1979}}

| birth_place = Inglewood, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| party = Democratic{{Cite web |date=November 2, 2017 |title=Governor Brown Appoints 34 Superior Court Judges |url=https://www.archive.gov.ca.gov/archive/gov39/2017/11/02/news20050/index.html |access-date=December 21, 2022 |website=www.ca.gov}}

| spouse =

| residence =

| education = University of California, Berkeley (BA)
Golden Gate University (JD)

}}

James Edward Simmons Jr. (born 1979){{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Simmons%20SJQ%20Public%20Final.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|access-date=November 29, 2022}} is an American lawyer serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. He served as a judge of the San Diego County Superior Court from 2017 to 2023.

Early life and education

Simmons was raised in Los Angeles. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley in 2001 and a Juris Doctor from the Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004.{{Cite press release |title=President Biden Names Twenty-Third Round of Judicial Nominees |date=June 29, 2022 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/14/president-biden-names-twenty-third-round-of-judicial-nominees/|access-date=July 14, 2022}}{{PD-notice}}

Career

In 2005, Simmons was a deputy city attorney in the San Diego City Attorney's Office. From 2006 to 2017, he was a deputy district attorney in the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2022 |title=Biden nominates two for San Diego federal court bench |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2022-07-14/biden-nominates-two-for-san-diego-federal-court-bench |access-date=July 14, 2022 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}} During his tenure, he worked in the juvenile division, the superior court division and the gangs division. He has volunteered for Project LEAD.{{cite web | url=https://danewscenter.com/news/deputy-da-appointed-superior-court-bench/ | title=Deputy DA Appointed to Superior Court Bench | date=2 November 2017 }}

= State judicial service =

On November 2, 2017, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Simmons as a judge of the San Diego County Superior Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge David M. Szumowski.{{Cite web |last=Sklar |first=Debbie L. |date=November 2, 2017 |title=Gov. Brown Appoints 2 to San Diego Superior Court Judgeships |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2017/11/02/gov-brown-appoints-2-judgeships-to-san-diego-superior-court/ |access-date=July 14, 2022 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=November 2, 2017 |title=Deputy DA Appointed to Superior Court Bench |url=https://danewscenter.com/news/deputy-da-appointed-superior-court-bench/ |access-date=July 14, 2022 |website=DA NewsCenter |language=en-US |author1=Danewscenter }} He left the state bench in March 2023 when he was appointed to the federal bench.

= Federal judicial service =

On July 14, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Simmons to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein support his nomination.{{Cite web|title=Feinstein, Padilla Support Nomination of Judges Simmons, Schopler to Southern District Court|url=https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/7/feinstein-padilla-support-nomination-of-judges-simmons-schopler-to-southern-district-court|access-date=July 14, 2022|website=United States Senator for California |language=en}} President Biden nominated Simmons to the seat vacated by Judge Anthony J. Battaglia, who assumed senior status on March 31, 2021.{{Cite web|date=July 14, 2022|title=PN2384 - Nomination of James Edward Simmons Jr. for The Judiciary, 117th Congress (2021-2022)|url=http://www.congress.gov/|access-date=July 15, 2022|website=www.congress.gov}} On November 30, 2022, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.{{Cite web|title=Nominations|date=November 30, 2022|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/11/30/2022/nominations}} On January 3, 2023, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate. He was renominated on January 23, 2023.{{Cite press release|title=Nominations Sent to the Senate|date=January 23, 2023|publisher=The White House|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/01/23/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-92/}} On February 9, 2023, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 13–8 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2023-02-09%20-%20EBM%20-%20Results.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 9, 2023|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=February 9, 2023}} On March 1, 2023, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 51–45 vote.{{Cite web|date=March 1, 2023|title=On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: James Edward Simmons, Jr., to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California)|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00036.htm|access-date=March 1, 2023|website=United States Senate}} On March 9, 2023, his nomination was confirmed by a 51–43 vote.{{Cite web|date=March 9, 2023|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: James Edward Simmons, Jr., of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California)|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00051.htm|access-date=March 9, 2023|website=United States Senate}} He received his judicial commission on March 10, 2023.{{FJC Bio|nid=13373961|inline=yes}}