Lawrence O'Neill
2020 - Present
5
Lawrence Joseph O'Neill (b.1952) is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. He was nominated by President George W. Bush (R) on January 9, 2007, to a seat vacated by Oliver Wanger. O'Neill was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on February 1, 2007, and received commission on February 2, 2007. O'Neill assumed senior status on February 2, 2020.
O'Neill served as chief judge from 2016 to 2019.
Early life and education
A native of California, O'Neill graduated from the University of California-Berkeley with his bachelor's degree in 1973. He then attended Golden Gate University, where he earned his master's in public affairs in 1976. O'Neill worked as a police officer with the City of San Leandro during his graduate studies, from 1973 to 1976. He later graduated from the University of California-Hastings College of Law with his J.D. in 1979.[1]
Professional career
O'Neill began his legal career as a law clerk for State Appeals Judge Robert J. Kane of the First Appellate Court of the California Courts of Appeal in 1979. He later became a private practice attorney licensed in the State of California, where he worked from 1979 to 1990, before he was appointed as a state court judge. In addition, beginning in 1986, O'Neill served as an adjunct law professor at San Joaquin College of Law.[1]
Judicial career
Fresno County Superior Court
O'Neill joined the bench as a superior court judge in the Fresno County Superior Court, where he served from 1990 to 1999. During this time, O'Neill continued to work as an adjunct law professor at San Joaquin Law, until 1992.[1]
Eastern District of California
O'Neill began his federal judicial career as a magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. O'Neill was appointed to a full eight-year term as a magistrate judge in 1999, and served in that role until 2007. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on September 6, 2007, to a seat on the Eastern District of California vacated by Oliver Wanger as Wanger assumed senior status. O'Neill was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 10, 2008, on an unopposed 97-0-3 vote and received commission on April 17, 2008. O'Neill assumed senior status on February 2, 2020.[2][1]
Noteworthy cases
Judge suspends criminal proceedings to fight spread of H1N1 virus (2014)
- See also: United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (In re Health Emergency, 14-MC-00003 LJO)
- See also: United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (In re Health Emergency, 14-MC-00003 LJO)
On January 14, 2014, Judge O'Neill issued an emergency order suspending criminal proceedings for Fresno County Jail inmates for one week's time due to an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus at the facility. Following the death of one inmate and the infection of at least three other inmates, O'Neill issued the order of his own volition, continuing all previously scheduled inmate proceedings due to the health risks involved with their presence at the federal courthouse. O'Neill's order excludes regular judicial time limitations, "including but not limited to the Speedy Trial Act." His order noted that these drastic measures would "assure the health and safety of the federal judiciary, the court staff, members of pretrial services, members of the Federal Probation Department, United States Marshals, members of the United States Attorney's Office, members of the Federal Defender's Office, private counsel and members of the public who have business with, or visit the courtrooms." O'Neill's federal order was entered in addition to one issued previously by Superior Court Judge Jonathan B. Conklin, which denied transportation of quarantined H1N1 inmates to the state courthouse.[3]
See also
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
- United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Lawrence O'Neill"
- Metropolitan News-Enterprise, "Magistrate Judge O’Neill Nominated by President to Eastern District Judgeship," August 3, 2006
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by: Oliver Wanger |
Eastern District of California 2008–2020 Seat #4 |
Succeeded by: Jennifer L. Thurston
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