Thomas J. Whelan (judge) explained

Thomas J. Whelan
Office:Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Term Start:August 15, 2010
Office1:Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Term Start1:October 22, 1998
Term End1:August 15, 2010
Appointer1:Bill Clinton
Predecessor1:John Skylstead Rhoades Sr.
Successor1:Gonzalo P. Curiel
Office2:Judge of the Superior Court of California, San Diego County
Term Start2:1990
Term End2:1998
Birth Name:Thomas John Whelan[1]
Birth Date:21 February 1940[2]
Birth Place:St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Spouse:Catherine A. Lindseth
Residence:San Diego, California, U.S.
Education:University of San Diego (BA, JD)

Thomas John Whelan (born February 21, 1940) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Early life and education

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Whelan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego in 1961 and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law in 1965.

Career

Whelan was a contracts administrator, planner and estimator for General Dynamics Corp. from 1961 to 1969. He was a deputy district attorney of San Diego from 1969 to 1989.

Judicial career

Whelan was a judge on the San Diego County Superior Court from 1990 to 1998. As a superior court judge, Whelan presided over the infamous Betty Broderick trials in San Diego.

Whelan is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Whelan was nominated by President Bill Clinton on June 4, 1998, to a seat vacated by John Skylstead Rhoades Sr. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 21, 1998, and received his commission on October 22, 1998. He assumed senior status on August 15, 2010.

Notable cases that Whelan has presided over on the district bench include:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Thomas John Whelan Judge Profile on Martindale.com. www.martindale.com.
  2. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pur1.32754071095347;view=2up;seq=316;skin=mobile Confirmation hearings on federal appointments : hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, first session, on confirmation of appointees to the federal judiciary. pt.5 (1999) – page 307
  3. Dean E. Murphy, Judge's Ruling on Water Gives Imperial Valley Farmers Hope, New York Times (March 23, 2003).
  4. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/08/us/national-briefing-west-california-judge-sides-with-schwarzenegger-over-indian.html National Briefing | West: California: Judge Sides With Schwarzenegger Over Indian Compacts
  5. Neil Vigdor, Duncan Hunter Sentenced to 11 Months in Prison for Stealing Campaign Funds, New York Times (March 17, 2020).