Martin Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Martin J. Jenkins is a justice of the California Court of Appeal
for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former federal judge
in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
.
, then graduated from Santa Clara University
with a Bachelor of Arts
degree. After college, Jenkins briefly played professional football for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. Jenkins then attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor
with honors.
Jenkins worked as a prosecutor in Alameda County, California
from 1981 to 1983, and for the United States Department of Justice
in the Civil Rights Division
from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, Jenkins moved back to the Bay Area when his mother became ill, then served as in-house counsel for Pacific Bell
for four years.
, Jenkins was appointed to the Alameda County Municipal Court
by Republican
Governor
George Deukmejian
in 1989. In 1992, Republican Governor Pete Wilson
appointed him to the Alameda County Superior Court
.
President Bill Clinton
, a Democrat, appointed Jenkins to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
in 1997.
In August 2007, Jenkins asked Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
to consider him for a seat on the California Court of Appeal. On January 25, 2008, Schwarzenegger nominated Jenkins to fill the vacancy on the First District Court of Appeal created by the retirement of Justice Joanne C. Parrilli. Jenkins was confirmed on April 4, 2008.
Jenkins's contribution to American law includes the well-known principle of Jenkins-Laporte Doctrine
, which defines the boundary of copyright and contractual right.
California Court of Appeal
The California Courts of Appeal are the state intermediate appellate courts in the U.S. state of California. The state is geographically divided into six appellate districts...
for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former federal judge
Federal judge
Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state / provincial / local level.-Brazil:In Brazil, federal judges of first instance are chosen exclusively by public contest...
in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San...
.
Early life
Jenkins was born in San Francisco and raised in the neighborhood of Ingleside. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from City College of San FranciscoCity College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
, then graduated from Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree. After college, Jenkins briefly played professional football for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Jenkins then attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
with honors.
Jenkins worked as a prosecutor in Alameda County, California
Alameda County, California
Alameda County is a county in the U.S. state of California. It occupies most of the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,510,271, making it the 7th most populous county in the state...
from 1981 to 1983, and for the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
in the Civil Rights Division
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
The U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division is the institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, religion, and national origin. The Division was established on December 9, 1957, by...
from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, Jenkins moved back to the Bay Area when his mother became ill, then served as in-house counsel for Pacific Bell
Pacific Bell
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company was the name of the Bell System's telephone operations in California. It gained in size by acquiring smaller telephone companies along the Pacific coast, such as Sunset Telephone & Telegraph in 1917...
for four years.
Judicial service
A DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Jenkins was appointed to the Alameda County Municipal Court
by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Governor
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian
Courken George Deukmejian, Jr. born June 6, 1928) is an Armenian American politician from California who as a Republican served as the 35th Governor of California and as California Attorney General .-Early life:...
in 1989. In 1992, Republican Governor Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
appointed him to the Alameda County Superior Court
Alameda County Superior Court
The Alameda County Superior Court is the branch of the California Superior Court with jurisdiction over Alameda County.-History:The original courthouse was established on June 6, 1853, in Alvarado, California . After the county seat moved to Oakland , a new courthouse was built in 1875, locating...
.
President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, a Democrat, appointed Jenkins to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San...
in 1997.
In August 2007, Jenkins asked Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
to consider him for a seat on the California Court of Appeal. On January 25, 2008, Schwarzenegger nominated Jenkins to fill the vacancy on the First District Court of Appeal created by the retirement of Justice Joanne C. Parrilli. Jenkins was confirmed on April 4, 2008.
Jenkins's contribution to American law includes the well-known principle of Jenkins-Laporte Doctrine
Jenkins-Laporte Doctrine
In United States copyright law and jurisprudence established under the doctrine of stare decisis by the case of Netbula, LLC v. Symantec Corp., 516 F. Supp.2d 1137 and related cases. The cases defined the boundaries of property rights and contractual rights in the licensing of digital works...
, which defines the boundary of copyright and contractual right.