John Kronstadt

John Arnold Kronstadt (born March 5, 1951) is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

John Kronstadt
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Incumbent
Assumed office April 14, 2011
Appointed by	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Florence-Marie Cooper
Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court
In office 2002–2011
Appointed by	Gray Davis
Preceded by	Juelann Cathey
Succeeded by	Roberto Longoria
Personal details
Born	March 5, 1951 Washington, D.C.
Education	Cornell University (A.B.) Yale Law School (J.D.)

Early life and education

Kronstadt was born in 1951.[1] He graduated from Cornell University in 1973 with an Artium Baccalaureus[2] At Cornell, he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He earned his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School in 1976.[2] After completing law school, Kronstadt served as a law clerk for Judge William P. Gray of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3][4]

State judicial service

In October 2002, California Governor Gray Davis appointed Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[5] He replaced Judge Juelann Cathey,[5] who had retired earlier that year following major heart surgery.[6][4]

While a Superior Court judge, Kronstadt presided over the case to determine rightful ownership of the Bahia Emerald, an 840-pound gemstone that has previously been valued at $372 million.[7]

Federal judicial service

On November 17, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Kronstadt to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Central District of California[2] to fill the vacancy created by the death of Florence-Marie Cooper.[3] On April 12, 2011, the Senate voted 96–0 to confirm his nomination.[8] Kronstadt received his judicial commission two days later.[4]

Personal

Kronstadt is married to California 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Bendix.[3]

References

1. Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire: John Arnold Kronstadt, (November 15, 2010).
2. President Obama Nominates Six to the United States District Court, 11/17/10, whitehouse.gov (November 17, 2010).
3. Ofgang, Kenneth (November 19, 2010). "Obama Nominates Kronstadt to U.S. District Court". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
4. "Kronstadt, John Arnold – Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
5. Laird, Lorelei (October 17, 2002). "Davis Appoints Two to Los Angeles Superior Court Bench". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
6. MetNews Staff Writer (July 1, 2002). "Judge Juelann Cathey Granted Disability Retirement". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
7. Victoria Kim, Trial begins in tussle over giant emerald, Los Angeles Times (September 25, 2010).
8. http://judiciary.senate.gov/nominations/112thCongress.cfm

External links

• John Kronstadt at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• John A. Kronstadt at Ballotpedia