{ "id": "epvqp4cbw6", "slug": "claudia-a-wilken", "title": "Claudia A. Wilken", "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-t-to-wo", "label": "Surnames T to Wo", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames T to Wo", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo", "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-t-to-wo", "label": "Surnames T to Wo", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Claudia A. Wilken is a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of California, appointed by President Clinton in 1993 and chief judge from 2012 to 2014.", "snippet": "Claudia A. Wilken is a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of California, appointed by President Clinton in 1993 and chief judge from 2012 to 2014.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-t-to-wo", "markdown": "# Claudia A. Wilken\n\nClaudia Ann Wilken (born 1949) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Northern District of California](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-northern-district-of-california) since 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She was appointed to the court by President William J. Clinton, receiving her commission in 1993.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She served as chief judge of the court from 2012 to 2014 before assuming senior status.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n| Appointed by | William J. Clinton[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n| Confirmed | November 20, 1993, by voice vote[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n| Senior status | December 17, 2014[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n| Born | 1949 in Minneapolis, MN[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n| Education | B.A., Stanford University, 1971; J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 1975[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nWilken was born in 1949 in [Minneapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/minneapolis), Minnesota.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from Stanford University in 1971 and a [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law in 1975.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756)\n\n## Legal career\n\nFrom 1975 to 1978, Wilken worked as a staff attorney in the Federal Public Defender's Office for the Northern District of California.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She then entered private practice in [Berkeley, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/berkeley-california), from 1978 to 1984, and during the same period served as an adjunct professor at the [University of California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-california), Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) From 1980 to 1985, she was a professor at the New College School of Law.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) After taking senior status, she served as a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states) from 2016 to 2019.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident William J. Clinton nominated Wilken to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on October 7, 1993.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) The Senate confirmed her by voice vote on November 20, 1993, and she received her commission on November 22, 1993.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She served as chief judge of the court from 2012 to 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) She assumed senior status on December 17, 2014, and continues to hear cases on the court.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756) • [2](https://cand.uscourts.gov/judges/cw/wilken-claudia)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Claudia Ann Wilken](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1389756)\n2. [District Judge Claudia Wilken | Northern District of California](https://cand.uscourts.gov/judges/cw/wilken-claudia)\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 T to Wo*\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/claudia-a-wilken", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken.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": "\"Claudia A. Wilken\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Claudia A. Wilken](https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken](https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Claudia A. Wilken\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/claudia-a-wilken. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Claudia A. Wilken is a senior United States district judge for the Northern District of California, appointed by President Clinton in 1993 and chief judge from 2012 to 2014." }