Linda Lopez (judge)

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Linda Lopez

| image = Linda Lopez (Judge) (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption =

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

| term_start = December 21, 2021

| term_end =

| appointer = Joe Biden

| predecessor = Roger Benitez

| successor =

| office1 = Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California

| term_start1 = October 26, 2018

| term_end1 = December 21, 2021

| appointer1 =

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1968}}

| birth_place = Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| education = Miami Dade College (AS, AA)
Florida International University (BA)
University of Miami (JD)

}}

Linda Lopez (born 1968){{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Lopez%20SJQ%20Public%20Final.pdf|title=Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=November 2, 2021}} is an American attorney serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. She previously served as a magistrate judge of the same court.

Early life and education

The child of Cuban immigrants, Lopez was born in Miami, Florida and raised in the nearby suburb of Hialeah.{{cite web |url=https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-judge-linda-lopez |title=Judge Linda Lopez: Energizing the Bench with a Fresh Perspective |last=Mody |first=Ami |date=July 12, 2021 |publisher=Federal Bar Association |access-date=September 30, 2021}} She earned an Associate of Arts in and Associate of Science degree from Miami Dade College, a Bachelor of Arts from Florida International University in 1996, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 1999.[https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/30/president-biden-names-eighth-round-of-judicial-nominees/ "President Biden Names Eighth Round of Judicial Nominees", White House, September 30, 2021] {{PD-notice}}

Career

File:Judge-Linda-Lopez.jpg

Lopez began her career as a criminal defense attorney in Florida, working both at a firm and as a solo practitioner. In 2007, she relocated to San Diego, where she joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender as a senior trial attorney.

= United States magistrate judge =

Lopez was sworn in as a magistrate judge for the Southern District of California on October 26, 2018.{{Cite web |title=Linda Lopez |url=https://www.uscourts.gov/judicial-milestones/linda-lopez |access-date=December 20, 2021 |website=United States Courts |language=en}}

= District court service =

On September 30, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Lopez to be a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. President Biden nominated Lopez to the seat vacated by Judge Roger Benitez, who assumed senior status on December 31, 2017.{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=September 30, 2021|publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/30/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-37/}} {{PD-notice}} On November 3, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.{{Cite web|title=Nominations |date=October 27, 2021|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/meetings/10/27/2021/nominations}} On December 2, 2021, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–10 vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting%2012.2.21.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – December 2, 2021|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=December 3, 2021}} On December 17, 2021, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 47–30 vote.{{Cite web|url= https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00508.htm|title= On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Linda Lopez to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California) |date=December 17, 2021|website=United States Senate|access-date=December 17, 2021}} Her nomination was confirmed later that day by a 48–25 vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00509.htm|title=On the Nomination (Confirmation: Linda Lopez, of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of California)|date=December 17, 2021|website=United States Senate|access-date=December 17, 2021}} She received her judicial commission on December 21, 2021.{{FJC Bio|nid=11225616|inline=yes}} At the time of her appointment, she was the only Latina on the Southern District of California.{{Cite press release |title=Recap: Latino Judicial Nominations in 2021 |date=December 23, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/ope/briefing-room/2021/12/23/latinonominations2021/ |access-date=April 11, 2023}} She was later joined by Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro in 2022.