John Kronstadt

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 P. Gray of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.[3][4]

In October 2002, California Governor Gray Davis appointed Kronstadt to the Los Angeles County Superior Court.[5] He replaced Judge Juelann Cathey,[5] who had retired earlier that year following major heart surgery.[6][4]

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.[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 fill the vacancy created by the death of Florence-Marie Cooper.[3] On April 12, 2011, the Senate voted 96–0 to confirm his nomination.[8] Kronstadt received his judicial commission two days later.[4]

Kronstadt is married to California 2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Helen Bendix.[3]

• John Kronstadt at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a public domain publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
• John A. Kronstadt at Ballotpedia