Martin Jenkins

Martin Joseph Jenkins (born November 12, 1953) is an American attorney and jurist serving as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California. He was previously a Justice of the California Court of Appeal for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.[1]

This article is about the judge. For the educator, see Martin David Jenkins.
Martin Jenkins
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
Assumed office
December 4, 2020
Appointed byGavin Newsom
Preceded byMing W. Chin
Judge of the California Court of Appeal for the First District
In office
April 4, 2008 – January 15, 2019
Appointed byArnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded byJoanne C. Parrilli
Succeeded byTeri L. Jackson
Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
In office
November 12, 1997 – April 3, 2008
Appointed byBill Clinton
Preceded byEugene F. Lynch
Succeeded byEdward M. Chen
Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court
In office
1992–1997
Appointed byPete Wilson
Judge of the Alameda County Municipal Court
In office
1989–1992
Appointed byGeorge Deukmejian
Personal details
Born
Martin Joseph Jenkins

(1953-11-12) November 12, 1953
San Francisco, California
Political partyDemocratic
EducationCity College of San Francisco (AA)
Santa Clara University (BA)
University of San Francisco (JD)

Early life and education

Jenkins was born in San Francisco and raised in the neighborhood of Ingleside.[2] He earned an Associate of Arts degree from City College of San Francisco, then graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[3][4] Jenkins played on the Santa Clara Broncos football team at defensive back.[5] After college, Jenkins briefly played professional football for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League.[2] Jenkins then attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor with honors.[2]

Career

Jenkins was a law clerk in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, California, from 1980 to 1981, and then a deputy district attorney (prosecutor) in that same office from 1981 to 1983.[3][6][7] and for the United States Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division from 1983 to 1985.[3][7] In 1985, Jenkins moved back to the Bay Area when his mother became ill,[2][7] then served as in-house counsel for Pacific Bell for four years.[7] He served as the Judicial Appointments Secretary for California Governor Gavin Newsom from January 14, 2019 to December 4, 2020.[8]

Judicial service

A Democrat,[3][9] Jenkins was appointed to the Alameda County Municipal Court by Republican Governor George Deukmejian in 1989.[2] In 1992, Republican Governor Pete Wilson appointed him to the Alameda County Superior Court,[2] where he served until 1997.[6]

Jenkins was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on July 24, 1997, to a seat vacated by Eugene F. Lynch. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 9, 1997, and received commission on November 12, 1997.[6][7]

In August 2007, Jenkins asked Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to consider him for a seat on the California Court of Appeal.[10] On January 25, 2008, Schwarzenegger nominated Jenkins to fill the vacancy on the First District Court of Appeal created by the retirement of Justice Joanne C. Parrilli.[3][10] Jenkins resigned from the federal bench on April 3[6] and was confirmed on the state bench on April 4, 2008.[7]

On October 5, 2020, Governor Newsom announced that he would nominate Jenkins to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California, replacing Ming Chin, who retired on August 31, 2020. When confirmed, he became the first openly gay justice, the third African American man, and the fifth African American person to serve on the court.[11]

On November 11, 2020, Jenkins was confirmed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California. The state's Commission on Judicial Appointments approved his nomination by a 3-0 vote.[12] On December 4, 2020, Jenkins was sworn in as the newest Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.[13]

References
  1. Harris, Bruce (2007-12-13), "Judicial Activism and New Zealand's Appellate Courts", Judicial Activism in Common Law Supreme Courts, Oxford University Press, pp. 273–322, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213290.003.0007, ISBN 9780199213290
  2. Harriet Chiang, Wal-Mart judge praised for compassion, diligence Archived 2010-10-23 at the Wayback Machine, San Francisco Chronicle (June 23, 2004).
  3. Governor Schwarzenegger Appoints Martin Jenkins to First District Court of Appeal Archived 2010-10-08 at the Wayback Machine, Press Release: Office of the Governor (January 28, 2008).
  4. "Commission Confirms Judge Martin Jenkins as Court of Appeal Justice". Metropolitan News-Enterprise. 2008-04-07. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  5. McKee, Mike (September 21, 2009). "Martin Jenkins". The Recorder. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  6. "Jenkins, Martin J. - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2017-05-08.
  7. Commission Confirms Judge Martin Jenkins as Court of Appeal Justice Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine, Metropolitan News-Enterprise (April 7, 2008).
  8. "Governor Newsom Appoints Judicial Appointments Secretary and Legal Affairs Staff". Governor of California. January 14, 2019. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  9. Howard Mintz, Schwarzenegger defies stereotypes, party labels in shaping California judiciary Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine, Contra Costa Times (July 24, 2010).
  10. Bob Egelko, Federal judge nominated to state appeals court, San Francisco Chronicle (January 26, 2008).
  11. Egelko, Bob (October 5, 2020). "Newsom nominates Martin Jenkins to California Supreme Court, where he would be first openly gay justice". San Francisco Chronicle.
  12. Egelko, Bob (November 11, 2020). "California confirms first openly gay state Supreme Court justice — Martin Jenkins". San Francisco Chronicle.
  13. "Governor Newsom Swears in Justice Martin Jenkins to the California Supreme Court" (Press release). Sacramento, California. Governor of California. 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-12-08.

Sources
Legal offices
Preceded by
Eugene F. Lynch		 Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California
1997–2008		 Succeeded by
Edward M. Chen
Preceded by
Joanne C. Parrilli		 Judge of the California Court of Appeal for the First District
2008–2019		 Succeeded by
Teri L. Jackson
Preceded by
Ming W. Chin		 Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California
2020–present		 Incumbent
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