John William Holcomb (born 1963)[1] is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

John W. Holcomb
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Assumed office
September 18, 2020
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byDean Pregerson
Personal details
Born
John William Holcomb

1963 (age 60–61)
Olean, New York, U.S.
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (SB)
Harvard University (JD–MBA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1984–1989
Rank Lieutenant
UnitUSS New Jersey (BB-62)
Awards

Early life and education

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Holcomb was born in 1963 in Olean, New York. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He spent five years as an active duty military officer, then jointly attended Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, receiving a JD–MBA in 1993. Holcomb received his Juris Doctor degree with cum laude honors.[2]

Military service

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Holcomb served in the United States Navy from 1980 to 1989, and he was on active duty as a commissioned officer from 1984 to 1989.[2] His service included time as a Surface Warfare Officer aboard the battleship USS New Jersey (BB-62) and with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon.

Career

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After receiving his JD–MBA, Holcomb served as a law clerk to Judge Ronald Barliant of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 1993 to 1994. From 1994 to 1997, he was an associate with Irell & Manella. He practiced intellectual property law at Knobbe Martens from 1997 to 2018. In 2019 he was briefly a sole practitioner, before joining Greenberg Gross in Costa Mesa, California, where he focused on intellectual property and bankruptcy litigation. He left Greenberg Gross after becoming a federal judge.[2]

Federal judicial service

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On September 20, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Holcomb to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. On November 21, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Holcomb to the seat vacated by Judge Dean Pregerson, who assumed senior status on January 28, 2016.[3] On January 3, 2020, his nomination was returned to the President under Rule XXXI, Paragraph 6 of the United States Senate.[4] On February 13, 2020, his renomination was sent to the Senate.[5] On June 17, 2020, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[6] On July 23, 2020, his nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.[7] On September 15, 2020, the Senate invoked cloture on his nomination by a 83–13 vote.[8] His nomination was confirmed later that day by a 83–12 vote.[9] He received his judicial commission on September 18, 2020.[10]

References

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  1. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees: John Holcomb
  2. ^ a b c "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees and United States Marshal Nominee" White House, September 20, 2019   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ "Nine Nominations Sent to the Senate Today", White House, November 21, 2019
  4. ^ "PN1298 – Nomination of John W. Holcomb for The Judiciary, 116th Congress (2019–2020)". www.congress.gov. January 3, 2020. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Eleven Nominations Sent to the Senate", White House, February 13, 2020
  6. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for June 17, 2020
  7. ^ Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 23, 2020, Senate Judiciary Committee
  8. ^ On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: John W. Holcomb to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California) United States Senate, September 15, 2020
  9. ^ On the Nomination (Confirmation: John W. Holcomb, of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California) United States Senate, September 15, 2020
  10. ^ John W. Holcomb at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
2020–present
Incumbent