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Derrick Kahala Watson

Derrick Kahala Watson

Hawaii District Court

Chief Judge — U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii

Born 1966 in Honolulu, HI

FJC ID: 3470

Derrick Kahala Watson (born 1966) is an American lawyer who serves as the chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.

A native of Hawaii, he graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School before entering private practice in San Francisco. He served as a federal prosecutor for some years in California and then Hawaii, rising to become chief of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii. He was appointed to the federal bench in 2013 by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013. Watson is the fourth Native Hawaiian federal judge in U.S. history.

Watson acted against the Trump travel ban in 2017.

Full biography on Wikipedia ↗
Gender
Male
Race
Asian American/Pacific Islander

Prior employment

  1. District of Hawaii
    District of Hawaii
    Assistant U.S. attorney · 2007–2013
    • ↳chief, Civil Division · 2009–2013
  2. Private practice, San Francisco, California
    1991–1995, 2000–2007
  3. JAG Corps
    JAG Corps
    U.S. Army Reserve captain · 1998–2006
  4. Northern District of California
    Northern District of California
    Assistant U.S. attorney · 1995–2000
    • ↳deputy chief, Civil Division · 1999–2000

Appointments

  1. Hawaii District Court
    U.S. District Court for the District of HawaiiChief Judge
    2013–present · Appointed by Barack Obama (Democratic)

Education

  1. Harvard Law School
    Harvard Law School
    J.D. · 1991
  2. Harvard University
    A.B. · 1988