{ "id": "epx81h27bk", "slug": "james-a-soto", "title": "James A. Soto", "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-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "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-se-to-sy", "label": "Surnames Se to Sy", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy" } ] } ], "excerpt": "James A. Soto, also known as James Alan Soto, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the District of Arizona since 2014, appointed by President Barack Obama.", "snippet": "James A. Soto, also known as James Alan Soto, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the District of Arizona since 2014, appointed by President Barack Obama.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# James A. Soto\n\nJames Alan Soto (born 1950) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona since 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) He was appointed by President Barack Obama and assumed senior status on July 1, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) |\n| Confirmed | May 15, 2014 (Senate voted 93 to 1)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130446) |\n| Senior status | July 1, 2024[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) |\n| Born | 1950 in Nogales, AZ[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) |\n| Education | B.S., Arizona State University, 1971; J.D., Arizona State University College of Law (now Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law), 1975[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSoto was born in 1950 in [Nogales, Arizona](https://www.edgepedia.org/nogales-arizona).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) He received a [Bachelor of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-science) degree from [Arizona State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/arizona-state-university) in 1971 and a Juris Doctor from the Arizona State University College of Law, now the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, in 1975.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526)\n\n## Legal career\n\nSoto served in the Arizona National Guard from 1971 to 1977.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) After entering private practice in Nogales, Arizona, from 1975 to 2001, he held a series of part-time public legal offices in southern Arizona: deputy city attorney of Nogales from 1975 to 1983, town attorney of [Patagonia](https://www.edgepedia.org/patagonia) from 1975 to 1992, and deputy county attorney of Santa Cruz County in 1979.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) From 2001 to 2014, he served as presiding judge of the Arizona Superior Court in Santa Cruz County.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nSoto was first nominated to the United States District Court for the District of Arizona on December 19, 2013, but no Senate vote was held on that nomination.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) He was renominated on January 6, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) The Senate confirmed his nomination on May 15, 2014, by a vote of 93 to 1.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130446) He received his commission on June 9, 2014.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526) He assumed senior status on July 1, 2024.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: James Alan Soto](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394526)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, May 15, 2014](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130446)\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 Se to Sy*\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/james-a-soto", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto.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": "\"James A. Soto\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[James A. Soto](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"James A. Soto\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-a-soto. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "James A." }