{ "id": "epedxjt3cw", "slug": "benjamin-j-cheeks", "title": "Benjamin J. Cheeks", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law" }, { "id": "society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3", "label": "Article III judges (district and appellate)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021", "label": "United States · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law", "label": "Law and justice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice", "label": "Courts and legal practice", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people", "label": "Legal biographies", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us", "label": "United States judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal", "label": "US federal judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges", "label": "United States district court judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "label": "Surnames C", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Benjamin Jerome Cheeks, born 1977 in Albany, Georgia, is a United States district judge for the Southern District of California, confirmed in 2024 and seated since 2025.", "snippet": "Benjamin Jerome Cheeks, born 1977 in Albany, Georgia, is a United States district judge for the Southern District of California, confirmed in 2024 and seated since 2025.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-c", "markdown": "# Benjamin J. Cheeks\n\nBenjamin Jerome Cheeks (born 1977) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California since 2025.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the Senate on December 20, 2024, by a vote of 49 to 47.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180682) He received his commission on January 9, 2025, and maintains chambers in San Diego.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) |\n| Confirmed | December 20, 2024, Senate vote 49 to 47[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180682) |\n| Born | 1977 in Albany, Georgia[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) |\n| Education | B.A., University of Miami (2000); J.D., American University, Washington College of Law (2003)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nCheeks was born in 1977 in [Albany, Georgia](https://www.edgepedia.org/albany-georgia).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) He received his [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the [University of Miami](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-miami) in 2000 and his Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law, in 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) During law school, he interned with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office Appeals Bureau in the summer of his second year.[3](https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-benjamin-j-cheeks)\n\n## Legal career\n\nCheeks began his career as an assistant district attorney in New York City from 2003 to 2010, joining the Manhattan District Attorney's Office Appeals Bureau full-time after graduation and later moving into the Narcotics Section.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [3](https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-benjamin-j-cheeks) He then served as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of California from 2010 to 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) He described his reason for leaving prosecution: \"I felt I could make a bigger impact on the defense side.\"[3](https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-benjamin-j-cheeks)\n\nFrom 2013 to 2024, Cheeks was in private practice in San Diego, California, representing individuals in federal court.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [3](https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-benjamin-j-cheeks) He was an adjunct professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law from 2012 to 2013 and at California Western School of Law from 2014 to 2022.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) He served as a lawyer representative for the Southern District of California from 2020 to 2024 and on its Selection Committee from 2023 to 2024, and was a member of the Criminal Defense Lawyers Club from 2021 to 2024.[4](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2024/Cheeks_Benjamin_Confirmed_CAS.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nOn July 19, 2024, the judges of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California appointed Cheeks a [United States magistrate judge](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-magistrate-judge).[4](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2024/Cheeks_Benjamin_Confirmed_CAS.pdf) President Joseph R. Biden nominated him on November 18, 2024, to a district judgeship on the same court.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) His nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee took place on November 20, and the nomination was reported to the Senate floor on December 12.[4](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2024/Cheeks_Benjamin_Confirmed_CAS.pdf) The Senate confirmed him on December 20, 2024, by a vote of 49 to 47.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180682) He received his commission on January 9, 2025, filling the judgeship vacant since September 7, 2023, when District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel assumed senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911) • [4](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2024/Cheeks_Benjamin_Confirmed_CAS.pdf)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn alien-detainee habeas cases, Cheeks has treated prolonged custody with no reasonably foreseeable removal as a basis for release, and has imposed notice and hearing safeguards before removal to a third country. In an August 18, 2025 order granting release, he wrote: \"Petitioner cannot be removed to his country of citizenship in the reasonably foreseeable future, and he would be entitled to seek protection from removal to a third country. Therefore, Petitioner is entitled to release under Zadvydas.\"[5](https://ezel.ai/judges/casd/benjamin-j-cheeks)\n\nUpon taking the bench, Cheeks inherited a San Diego civil docket that includes employment and civil-rights matters, ERISA cases, commercial contract and trade-secret disputes, prisoner litigation, Federal Tort Claims Act cases, and immigration mandamus and habeas petitions.[5](https://ezel.ai/judges/casd/benjamin-j-cheeks)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Federal Judicial Center, Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Benjamin Jerome Cheeks](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13761911)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, December 20, 2024](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180682)\n3. [Judicial Profile: Benjamin J. Cheeks](https://www.fbasd.org/post/judicial-profile-benjamin-j-cheeks)\n4. [official page](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2024/Cheeks_Benjamin_Confirmed_CAS.pdf)\n5. [Benjamin J. Cheeks — Rulings & How They Decide](https://ezel.ai/judges/casd/benjamin-j-cheeks)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States district court judges › Surnames C*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Benjamin J. Cheeks\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Benjamin J. Cheeks](https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks](https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Benjamin J. Cheeks\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/benjamin-j-cheeks. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Benjamin Jerome Cheeks, born 1977 in Albany, Georgia, is a United States district judge for the Southern District of California, confirmed in 2024 and seated since 2025." }