Kenly Kiya Kato

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Kenly Kiya Kato
Image of Kenly Kiya Kato

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Central District of California
Tenure

2023 - Present

Years in position

1

Predecessor
Prior offices
United States District Court for the Central District of California

Education

Bachelor's

UCLA, 1993

Law

Harvard School of Law, 1996


Kenly Kiya Kato is a judge on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Kato to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 7, 2023, by a vote of 51-46.[1][2][3][4][5] Kato was one of 235 Article III judges nominated by President Joe Biden (D) and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Click here for more information on Kato's federal judicial nomination.

The United States District Court for the Central District of California is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Prior to joining the court, Kato was a magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She was sworn in on July 1, 2014.[6]

Judicial nominations and appointments

United States District Court for the Central District of California (2023-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Joe Biden

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) nominated Kenly Kato to the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[1][2] She was confirmed by a 51-46 vote of the U.S. Senate on November 7, 2023.[3] Kato received commission on November 17, 2023.[5] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Kenly Kiya Kato
Court: United States District Court for the Central District of California
Progress
Confirmed 692 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: December 15, 2021
ApprovedAABA Rating: Well Qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: February 1, 2022
Hearing Transcript: Hearing Transcript
QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: March 10, 2022 (initial nomination) [7]/ February 9, 2023 (second nomination) 
ApprovedAConfirmed: November 7, 2023
ApprovedAVote: 51-46


Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Kato by a vote of 51-46 on November 7, 2023.[3] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Kenly Kiya Kato confirmation vote (November 7, 2023)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 48 0 0
Ends.png Republican 0 46 3
Grey.png Independent 3 0 0
Total 51[8] 46 3

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on Kato's nomination on February 1, 2022. On March 10, 2022, the committee cast a tie vote to report Kato to the full United States Senate for a confirmation vote. As a result, Kato was not reported favorably to the full Senate. [2] In a committee hearing on February 9, 2023, Kato was reported to the full Senate, after an 11-10 committee vote.[4]

Nomination

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate Kato to the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The president officially nominated Kato on the same day.[1][2]

Kato was nominated to replace Judge Beverly Reid O'Connell, who died on October 8, 2017.[2]

The American Bar Association rated Kato Well Qualified.[9] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

Kato's nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2023.[10] The president renominated Kato on the same day.[3]

Biography

Education

Kato earned a B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1993 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude, in 1996.[1]

Professional career

About the court

Central District of California
Ninth Circuit
Great seal of the United States.png
Judgeships
Posts: 28
Judges: 28
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Dolly Gee
Active judges: Fernando Aenlle-Rocha, Mónica Ramírez Almadani, Percy Anderson, Jesus Bernal, André Birotte Jr., Stanley Blumenfeld, David Carter, Michelle Williams Court, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, Michael Fitzgerald, Sherilyn P. Garnett, Dolly Gee, John William Holcomb, Wesley L. Hsu, Anne Hwang, Kenly Kiya Kato, Robert Klausner, Serena R. Murillo, Fernando Olguin, Mark C. Scarsi, Fred W. Slaughter, Josephine Staton, Sunshine S. Sykes, Cynthia Valenzuela, Hernán D. Vera, John Walter, Stephen Wilson, Otis Wright

Senior judges:
Valerie Baker Fairbank, Dale Fischer, Terry Hatter, Aaron Kampfe, William Duffy Keller, John A. Kronstadt, Ronald Lew, Consuelo Marshall, Virginia Phillips, Dean Pregerson, James Selna, Christina Snyder, George Wu


The United States District Court for the Central District of California is one of 94 United States district courts. The court serves about seventeen million people in southern and central California, making it the largest federal judicial district by population. The district operates out of courthouses in Santa Ana, Riverside and two locations in Los Angeles. When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, based in downtown San Francisco at the James R. Browning Federal Courthouse. Initial appeals are heard in Pasadena at the Richard Chambers Courthouse.

The Central District of California has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

There are three court divisions, each covering the following counties:

The Eastern Division, covering Riverside and San Bernardino counties.[11]

The Southern Division, covering Orange County.[11]

The Western Division, covering Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.[11]

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The White House, "President Biden Names Eleventh Round of Judicial Nominees," December 15, 2021
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Congress.gov, "PN1480 — Kenly Kiya Kato — The Judiciary," accessed December 16, 2021
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Congress.gov, "PN84 — Kenly Kiya Kato — The Judiciary," accessed January 4, 2023
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of Executive Business Meeting – February 9, 2023," accessed February 9, 2023
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Federal Judicial Center, "Kato, Kenly Kiya," accessed November 17, 2023
  6. ↑ United States District Court for the Central District of California, Press Release: "Kenly Kiya Kato selected as United States Magistrate Judge for Central District of California," July 1, 2014
  7. ↑ Kato received a 10-10 tie committee vote and was not reported favorably to the full Senate. Click here for more details.
  8. ↑ Note: The bolded number reflects the largest number.
  9. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III AND ARTICLE IV JUDICIAL NOMINEES, 117TH CONGRESS, last updated January 31, 2022
  10. ↑ Under Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate, pending nominations are returned to the president if the Senate adjourns sine die or recesses for more than 30 days.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 United States District Court for the Central District of California, Jurisdiction

Political offices
Preceded by
Beverly Reid O'Connell 		United States District Court for the Central District of California
2023-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Central District of California
-2023		 Succeeded by
-



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California courts

Federal courts:

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California

State courts:

California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts

State resources:

Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California

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