Jacqueline Nguyen
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen (born in Da Lat, South Vietnam 1965) is a judge from Los Angeles County, California
and a former federal prosecutor. She is currently a United States district judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
and a nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
.
, Nguyen moved to the United States when she was 10, after the fall of the South Vietnamese government in 1975. The daughter of a South Vietnamese army major who had worked closely with U.S. intelligence officials, Nguyen moved with her family first to an army tent at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
, where she lived for several months. They ultimately settled in the La Crescenta-Montrose
area of Los Angeles. Her family later opened a doughnut shop in North Hollywood, where Nguyen worked throughout high school and college.
Nguyen earned her undergraduate degree in English in 1987 from Occidental College
. She then earned a law degree from UCLA School of Law
in 1991.
From 1995 until August 2002, Nguyen served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California. She joined the U.S. Attorney's office in its Public Corruption and Government Fraud section, overseeing United States Department of Defense
fraud prosecutions. In her final years in the U.S. Attorney's office, Nguyen also held the role of Deputy Chief of the General Crimes section, training new prosecutors in the Central District.
In August 2002, Nguyen was appointed by then-California Gov. Gray Davis
to be a Superior Court of Los Angeles County
judge. Nguyen became the first-ever Vietnamese-American woman ever appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has been based in Alhambra, California
.
nominated Nguyen to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California
, vacated when Nora Margaret Manella
left the federal judiciary to join the California Courts of Appeal in 2006. Senator Dianne Feinstein
had recommended Nguyen's nomination. On September 23, Nguyen appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reported her nomination on October 15. On December 1, 2009, the full United States Senate
voted 97-0 to confirm Nguyen.
On September 22, 2011, Barack Obama nominated Nguyen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
. Her nomination is pending before the U.S. Senate.
She is the first U.S. district judge appointed by President Obama who was later nominated to a higher level federal judgeship by the same president.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
and a former federal prosecutor. She is currently a United States district judge on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
United States District Court for the Central District of California
The United States District Court for the Central District of California serves over 18 million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population...
and a nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
.
Early life and education
Born Hong-Ngoc Thi Nguyen in Da Lat, VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Nguyen moved to the United States when she was 10, after the fall of the South Vietnamese government in 1975. The daughter of a South Vietnamese army major who had worked closely with U.S. intelligence officials, Nguyen moved with her family first to an army tent at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, where she lived for several months. They ultimately settled in the La Crescenta-Montrose
La Crescenta-Montrose, California
La Crescenta-Montrose is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California, encompassing those parts of the Crescenta Valley not in the cities of Glendale or La Cañada Flintridge. However, both the unincorporated area and the portion of incorporated Glendale...
area of Los Angeles. Her family later opened a doughnut shop in North Hollywood, where Nguyen worked throughout high school and college.
Nguyen earned her undergraduate degree in English in 1987 from Occidental College
Occidental College
Occidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
. She then earned a law degree from UCLA School of Law
UCLA School of Law
The UCLA School of Law is the law school of the University of California, Los Angeles. It has been approved by the American Bar Association since 1950. It joined the Association of American Law Schools in 1952.- History :...
in 1991.
Professional career
From 1991 until 1995, Nguyen worked in private law practice, specializing in civil litigation as a litigation associate at the firm Musick, Peeler & Garrett. In particular, she focused on commercial disputes, intellectual property and construction-defect cases.From 1995 until August 2002, Nguyen served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California. She joined the U.S. Attorney's office in its Public Corruption and Government Fraud section, overseeing United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
fraud prosecutions. In her final years in the U.S. Attorney's office, Nguyen also held the role of Deputy Chief of the General Crimes section, training new prosecutors in the Central District.
In August 2002, Nguyen was appointed by then-California Gov. Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
to be a Superior Court of Los Angeles County
Superior Court of Los Angeles County
The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is the Superior Court located in Los Angeles County. It is the largest single unified trial court in the United States....
judge. Nguyen became the first-ever Vietnamese-American woman ever appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court. She has been based in Alhambra, California
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
.
Federal judicial service
On July 31, 2009, President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominated Nguyen to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California
United States District Court for the Central District of California
The United States District Court for the Central District of California serves over 18 million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population...
, vacated when Nora Margaret Manella
Nora Margaret Manella
Nora Margaret Manella is an associate justice of the California Court of Appeal.Manella was born in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Arthur Manella, was a well-known local tax lawyer and a founding partner of Irell & Manella....
left the federal judiciary to join the California Courts of Appeal in 2006. Senator Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
had recommended Nguyen's nomination. On September 23, Nguyen appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reported her nomination on October 15. On December 1, 2009, the full United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
voted 97-0 to confirm Nguyen.
On September 22, 2011, Barack Obama nominated Nguyen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is a U.S. federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* District of Alaska* District of Arizona...
. Her nomination is pending before the U.S. Senate.
She is the first U.S. district judge appointed by President Obama who was later nominated to a higher level federal judgeship by the same president.