Gonzalo P. Curiel

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Gonzalo Paul Curiel
Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.jpg
Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
Assumed office
October 1, 2012
Appointed by Barack Obama
Preceded by Thomas J. Whelan
Personal details
Born Gonzalo Paul Curiel
1953 (age 70–71)
East Chicago, Indiana
Alma mater Indiana University Bloomington B.A.
Indiana University Maurer School of Law J.D.

Gonzalo Paul Curiel (born 1953) is a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Biography

Curiel was born in East Chicago, Indiana,[1][2] to parents who had immigrated into the United States from Mexico.[3][4] He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Indiana University in 1976 and his Juris Doctor from the Indiana University School of Law in 1979.[1][2][5] He served in private practice, first at James, James & Manning from 1979 to 1986 and then at Barbosa & Vera from 1986 to 1989.[2][5][6]

He was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of California from 1989 to 2002.[1][2][5] While in the Southern District, he served as Deputy Chief (1996-1999) and then Chief (1999-2002) of the Narcotics Enforcement Division.[1][2][5] During his tenure with the Narcotics Enforcement Division, Curiel prosecuted the Arellano Felix cartel in Tijuana, Mexico,[3][4] and was reportedly the subject of an assassination plot connected to the drug cartel.[7][8] He was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California from 2002 to 2006.[1][2][5]

On November 1, 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of Curiel to the bench of the Superior Court of San Diego in 2007, which is the position he held until his appointment to the federal bench.[5][9]

Federal judicial service

On November 10, 2011, President Obama nominated Curiel to serve as a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.[5] He replaced Judge Thomas J. Whelan, who had taken senior status. Curiel received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 28, 2012, which reported his nomination to the Senate on April 26, 2012, by voice vote. In the early hours of September 22, 2012, on what was officially still the legislative day of September 21, the Senate confirmed Curiel by voice vote. He received his commission on October 1, 2012.[1]

Trump University lawsuits

In February 2014, Curiel certified Tarla Makaeff v. Trump University (which had been filed in 2010) as a class action in California, Florida, and New York.[10] In October 2014, Curiel certified Art Cohen v. Donald J. Trump (which had been filed in 2013) as a national class action.[11] In April 2015, Curiel ruled that Trump University must pay Makaeff under California's law concerning strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) for filing a countersuit against Makaeff; The Trump Organization said that it would appeal the decision.[12]

Curiel is the presiding judge in the Makaeff case, whose trial is scheduled to begin November 28, 2016, in San Diego.[13][14] Curiel had planned to start the trial in summer 2016, but postponed it until after the election because of concerns that jurors would be affected by a "media frenzy" if the trial took place during the presidential campaign.[14] Trump is scheduled to attend the trial and testify.[13][14] On May 27, 2016, Curiel granted a request by The Washington Post for public release of certain internal Trump University documents.[15]

Trump has repeatedly criticized Curiel in campaign speeches, calling him a "hater" and noting that Curiel is "we believe, Mexican."[14][16][17] Trump has said Curiel should recuse himself from the case. Curiel says Trump has “placed the integrity of these court proceedings at issue.”[15]

References

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  6. http://www.sddt.com/News/article.cfm?SourceCode=20061107czx
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  9. http://www.metnews.com/articles/2006/judg110606.htm
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External links

Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California
2012–present
Incumbent