{ "id": "epjcphbj6a", "slug": "james-e-simmons-jr", "title": "James E. Simmons, Jr.", "updated": "2026-09-29", "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 E. Simmons, Jr. (born 1979) is an American judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California since 2023.", "snippet": "James E. Simmons, Jr. (born 1979) is an American judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California since 2023.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# James E. Simmons, Jr.\n\nJames Edward Simmons, Jr. (born 1979)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California since 2023.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) Before joining the federal bench, he served as a judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, from 2017 to 2023.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) |\n| Confirmed | March 9, 2023, by a vote of 51 to 43[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180051) |\n| Born | 1979, Inglewood, California[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) |\n| Education | B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 2001; J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 2004[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSimmons was born in 1979 in [Inglewood, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/inglewood-california).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) He received a [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) from the [University of California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-california), Berkeley, in 2001 and a Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961)\n\n## Legal career\n\nSimmons began his career in private practice in San Diego, California, from 2004 to 2005.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) He then served as a deputy city attorney in San Diego in 2005.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) From 2006 to 2017, he was a deputy district attorney in San Diego.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) While at the district attorney's office, he directed the office's participation in Project LEAD (Legal Enrichment And Decision Making), a program that included presenting lessons to students and encouraging them to succeed academically.[3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf) During this period he received awards including San Diego County Prosecutor of the Year from the San Diego Deputy District Attorney Association in 2016.[3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf) From 2007 to 2009, he served as a board member of the California Young Lawyer's Association, where he helped lead a project in San Diego to encourage and train new and young lawyers to provide advocacy services and assistance to foster children transitioning out of foster care.[3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf)\n\nFrom 2017 to 2023, Simmons served as a judge of the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) He served as the supervising judge of the North County Branch of the San Diego Superior Court.[3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nSimmons was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California on January 23, 2023, to the seat vacated by [Anthony Joseph Battaglia](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-j-battaglia).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) • [3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf) The Senate confirmed him on March 9, 2023, by a vote of 51 to 43.[2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180051) He received his federal judicial commission on March 10, 2023.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961) He filled a judgeship vacant since March 31, 2021, when District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia assumed senior status.[3](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/13373961)\n2. [Roll Call Vote, 118th Congress, 1st Session](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1180051)\n3. [Senate Confirms Judge James E. Simmons Jr. for Federal Judgeship in Southern District of California](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2023/Simmons_Jr_Edward_CAS_Confirmed.pdf)\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: Sep 29, 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-e-simmons-jr", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr.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 E. Simmons, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[James E. Simmons, Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"James E. Simmons, Jr.\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/james-e-simmons-jr. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "James E. Simmons, Jr. is an American judge serving on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California since 2023." }