Marco A. Hernandez Explained

Marco Antonio Hernandez
Office:Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Term Start:August 21, 2024
Office1:Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Term Start1:December 23, 2019
Term End1:January 1, 2024
Predecessor1:Michael W. Mosman
Successor1:Michael J. McShane
Office2:Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Term Start2:February 9, 2011
Term End2:August 21, 2024
Appointer2:Barack Obama
Predecessor2:Garr King
Successor2:Amy M. Baggio
Office3:Judge of the Washington County Circuit Court
Appointer3:Barbara Roberts
Term Start3:1998
Term End3:February 9, 2011
Successor3:Janelle F. Wipper
Birth Name:Marco Antonio Hernandez
Birth Place:Nogales, Arizona, U.S.
Education:
University of Washington (JD)

Marco Antonio Hernandez (born 1957) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.

Early life and education

Hernandez was born in Nogales, Arizona, in 1957 and is of Hispanic descent.[1] He moved to Oregon at 17 and began work as a dishwasher, and then as a janitor before working his way through community college while working as a teacher's aide. Hernandez then moved on to a four-year school and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Oregon State College (now known as Western Oregon University) in 1983.[2] He then attended the University of Washington School of Law and earned his Juris Doctor in 1986.[2]

Career

After law school he returned to Oregon where he spent three years working for Legal Aid Services of Oregon where he often represented farm workers.[3] Following his time with legal aid, Hernandez then joined the Washington County District Attorney's office as a deputy prosecutor in 1989.[4] Shortly before leaving office in January 1995, Governor Barbara Roberts appointed Hernandez to be Washington County Circuit Court Judge.[5] In 2001, he allowed a claim for loss of companionship in a pet case to go to trial, the first time such a claim was allowed to go to trial in the United States.[6] Hernandez served as Presiding Judge of the County's Circuit Court from 2002 to 2005.[2] [4] He won re-election to a new six-year term on the court in May 2008. He has also served as the judge for the county's Mental Health Court,[7] and as presiding judge from 2002 until 2005.

Federal judicial nominations

In January 2008, Hernandez was one of three candidates recommended by a six-member judicial selection committee to replace Garr King on the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.[8] President George W. Bush selected Hernandez to fill the vacancy on the District Court of Oregon and submitted his nomination on July 23, 2008.[9] Senators Gordon H. Smith and Ron Wyden supported the nomination, but it was made with less than six months remaining in the Bush presidency.[9] [10] The nomination was not acted upon by the 110th Congress and was thus returned.[11] Republican Gordon Smith was narrowly defeated for re-election in 2008, and newly elected President Barack Obama restarted the judicial selection process for the District of Oregon.[5] Democrat Ron Wyden recommended Hernandez in addition to five other candidates selected by a thirteen-member judicial selection committee.[10] On July 14, 2010, Obama renominated Hernandez to replace Garr King.[12] He is one of few people to be nominated to the federal bench by presidents from two different political parties.[4] The Senate again failed to act on Hernandez's nomination, and President Obama nominated Hernandez again in January 2011.[13] On February 7, 2011, the Senate unanimously confirmed Hernandez as the newest judge for the District of Oregon,[13] and he received his commission on February 9. He became chief judge on December 23, 2019[14] and served until January 1, 2024, when he was succeeded by Judge Michael J. McShane.[15] He assumed senior status on August 21, 2024.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Marco A. Hernandez. Office of Legal Policy. United States Department of Justice. 20 July 2010.
  2. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-names-five-united-states-district-court-0 President Obama Names Five to United States District Court
  3. News: Obama nominates two for U.S. District Court judgeships in Oregon. Tomlinson. Stuart. July 14, 2010. The Oregonian. 19 July 2010.
  4. News: County judge nominated to federal bench – again. Christensen. Nick. July 17, 2010. The Hillsboro Argus. 19 July 2010.
  5. Peter Wong, Obama names two as federal judges in Oregon, Statesman Journal (July 14, 2010).
  6. Duckler. Geordie L.. Dana M. Campbell. June 2001. Nature of the Beast. Oregon State Bar Bulletin. Oregon State Bar.
  7. News: Washington County Mental Health Court gives some a chance to turn their lives around. Gregory. Roger. March 28, 2008. The Oregonian. 20 July 2010.
  8. James Pitkin, Immergut’s Out: The Final Three Who Are In For A Federal Judge Appointment, Willamette Week (January 25, 2008).
  9. Holly Danks, Politics could sink local judge's federal nomination, The Oregonian (July 24, 2008).
  10. James Pitkin, Ron Wyden Adds Marco Hernandez As The Sixth Name to Judges’ List, Willamette Week (July 28, 2009).
  11. Web site: Marco A. Hernandez. Judicial Nominations. Yale Law School. 18 July 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100717082443/http://judges.law.yale.edu/?q=content%2Fmarco-hernandez. 17 July 2010.
  12. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/presidential-nominations-and-withdrawal-sent-senate-71410 Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate, 7/14/10
  13. News: Senate unanimously approves Marco Hernandez to be federal judge. Pope. Charles. February 7, 2011. The Oregonian. 8 February 2011.
  14. Web site: Chief Judge Transition . December 20, 2019 . ord.uscourts.gov . December 23, 2019.
  15. Chief Judge Transition . December 1, 2023 . United States District Court for the District of Oregon . On January 1, 2024, the role of Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon transfers from Judge Marco Hernández to Judge Michael McShane. The Board of Judges extends its gratitude for Judge Hernández’s service as Chief Judge and congratulates Judge McShane on his new role. . January 1, 2024.