Legality of Cannabis by U.S. Jurisdiction

Marco Antonio Hernandez
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
In office
December 23, 2019 – January 1, 2024
Preceded byMichael W. Mosman
Succeeded byMichael J. McShane
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
Assumed office
February 9, 2011
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byGarr King
Judge of the Washington County Circuit Court
In office
1998 – February 9, 2011
Appointed byBarbara Roberts
Succeeded byJanelle F. Wipper
Personal details
Born
Marco Antonio Hernandez

1957 (age 66–67)
Nogales, Arizona, U.S.
EducationWestern Oregon University (BA)
University of Washington (JD)

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

Early life and education[edit]

Hernandez was born in Nogales, Arizona, in 1957 and is of Hispanic descent.[1][2][3] 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.[4] 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.[4][5] He then attended the University of Washington School of Law and earned his Juris Doctor in 1986.[5][6]

Career[edit]

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.[2][7] Following his time with legal aid, Hernandez then joined the Washington County District Attorney's office as a deputy prosecutor in 1989.[8] Shortly before leaving office in January 1995, Governor Barbara Roberts appointed Hernandez to be Washington County Circuit Court Judge.[3] 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.[9] Hernandez served as Presiding Judge of the County's Circuit Court from 2002 to 2005.[5][8] He won re-election to a new six-year term on the court in May 2008.[2] He has also served as the judge for the county's Mental Health Court,[10] and as presiding judge from 2002 until 2005.[6]

Federal judicial nominations[edit]

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.[11] President George W. Bush selected Hernandez to fill the vacancy on the District Court of Oregon and submitted his nomination on July 23, 2008.[2] Senators Gordon H. Smith and Ron Wyden supported the nomination, but it was made with less than six months remaining in the Bush presidency.[2][12] The nomination was not acted upon by the 110th Congress and was thus returned.[13] 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.[3] Democrat Ron Wyden recommended Hernandez in addition to five other candidates selected by a thirteen-member judicial selection committee.[12] On July 14, 2010, Obama renominated Hernandez to replace Garr King.[14] He is one of few people to be nominated to the federal bench by presidents from two different political parties.[8] The Senate again failed to act on Hernandez's nomination, and President Obama nominated Hernandez again in January 2011.[4] On February 7, 2011, the Senate unanimously confirmed Hernandez as the newest judge for the District of Oregon,[4] and he received his commission on February 9.[6] He became chief judge on December 23, 2019[15] and served until January 1, 2024, when he was succeeded by Judge Michael J. McShane.[16]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Marco A. Hernandez". Office of Legal Policy. United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Holly Danks, Politics could sink local judge's federal nomination, The Oregonian (July 24, 2008).
  3. ^ a b c Peter Wong, Obama names two as federal judges in Oregon[permanent dead link], Statesman Journal (July 14, 2010).
  4. ^ a b c d Pope, Charles (February 7, 2011). "Senate unanimously approves Marco Hernandez to be federal judge". The Oregonian. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  5. ^ a b c President Obama Names Five to United States District Court Archived 2017-02-16 at the Wayback Machine, whitehouse.gov (July 14, 2010).
  6. ^ a b c Marco A. Hernandez at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  7. ^ Tomlinson, Stuart (July 14, 2010). "Obama nominates two for U.S. District Court judgeships in Oregon". The Oregonian. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  8. ^ a b c Christensen, Nick (July 17, 2010). "County judge nominated to federal bench – again". The Hillsboro Argus. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  9. ^ Duckler, Geordie L.; Dana M. Campbell (June 2001). "Nature of the Beast". Oregon State Bar Bulletin. Oregon State Bar.
  10. ^ Gregory, Roger (March 28, 2008). "Washington County Mental Health Court gives some a chance to turn their lives around". The Oregonian. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  11. ^ James Pitkin, Immergut’s Out: The Final Three Who Are In For A Federal Judge Appointment, Willamette Week (January 25, 2008).
  12. ^ a b James Pitkin, Ron Wyden Adds Marco Hernandez As The Sixth Name to Judges’ List, Willamette Week (July 28, 2009).
  13. ^ "Marco A. Hernandez". Judicial Nominations. Yale Law School. Archived from the original on 17 July 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  14. ^ Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate, 7/14/10 Archived 2017-02-16 at the Wayback Machine, whitehouse.gov (July 14, 2010).
  15. ^ "Chief Judge Transition". ord.uscourts.gov. December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  16. ^ "Chief Judge Transition" (Press release). United States District Court for the District of Oregon. December 1, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024. 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.

External links[edit]

Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2011–present
Incumbent
Preceded by Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon
2019–2024
Succeeded by