| John Kronstadt | |
| Office: | Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California |
| Term Start: | April 1, 2022 |
| Office1: | Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California |
| Term Start1: | April 14, 2011 |
| Term End1: | April 1, 2022 |
| Appointer1: | Barack Obama |
| Predecessor1: | Florence-Marie Cooper |
| Successor1: | Mónica Ramírez Almadani |
| Office2: | Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court |
| Term Start2: | 2002 |
| Term End2: | 2011 |
| Appointer2: | Gray Davis |
| Predecessor2: | Juelann Cathey |
| Successor2: | Roberto Longoria |
| Birth Date: | 5 March 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education: | Cornell University (AB) Yale University (JD) |
John Arnold Kronstadt (born March 5, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
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 Percival Gray of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3]
In October 2002, governor Gray Davis appointed Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[4] He replaced Judge Juelann Cathey,[4] who had retired earlier that year following major heart surgery.[5]
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.[6] During his state judicial service, only one of Kronstadt's decisions was reversed.[7]
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 a seat vacated by Judge Florence-Marie Cooper, who died on January 15, 2010.[3] On April 12, 2011, the Senate confirmed his nomination by a 96–0 vote.[8] Kronstadt received his judicial commission two days later. He assumed senior status on April 1, 2022.
Kronstadt is married to California 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Bendix.[3]