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 "excerpt": "Jesus G. Bernal, also known as Jesus Gilberto Bernal, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Central District of California since 2012.",
 "snippet": "Jesus G. Bernal, also known as Jesus Gilberto Bernal, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the Central District of California since 2012.",
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 "markdown": "# Jesus G. Bernal\n\nJesus Gilberto Bernal (born 1963) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the [United States District Court for the Central District of California](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-district-court-for-the-central-district-of-california) since 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> He was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> He presides over matters in Riverside in the court's Eastern Division.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | December 11, 2012, by voice vote<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> |\n| Born | 1963 in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., Yale University, 1986; J.D., Stanford Law School, 1989<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBernal was born in 1963 in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> He received his [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree in 1986 from Yale University, graduating cum laude, and his [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) degree in 1989 from Stanford University Law School, where he co-chaired the Stanford Latino Law Students Association and was awarded the R. Hunter Summers Trial Practice Award.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter graduating from law school, Bernal clerked for the Honorable David V. Kenyon of the United States District Court for the Central District of California from 1989 to 1991.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> He then worked for almost five years as a litigation associate at the law firm of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe LLP in Los Angeles, focusing primarily on complex civil litigation.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\nIn 1996, Bernal joined the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California, where he worked until 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> From 1996 to 2006 he was a Deputy Federal Public Defender in the trial unit of the Los Angeles office, and from 2006 to May 2012 he served as the Directing Attorney of the Riverside branch office.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup> From May 2012 until becoming a district judge in December 2012, he served as the Chief of the Los Angeles office's trial unit.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\nBernal has also been active in bar associations and civic organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors and has served as Secretary of the [Inland Empire](https://www.edgepedia.org/inland-empire) chapter of the Federal Bar Association, and he served on the Board of Directors of the Mexican American Bar Foundation and of Proyecto Pastoral at Dolores Mission, a non-profit organization that develops grassroots projects in education, leadership, and service in Boyle Heights.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) nominated Bernal to the United States District Court for the Central District of California on April 25, 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on December 11, 2012, by voice vote, and he received his commission on December 12, 2012.<sup>[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)</sup> He fills a vacancy in the Eastern Division that arose when former district judge Stephen G. Larson resigned in November 2009 to go into private practice.<sup>[2](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)</sup>\n\nIn response to written questions from Senator Amy Klobuchar during his confirmation process, Bernal described his judicial philosophy, writing: \"My judicial philosophy is that judges should be impartial, even-tempered, patient, and respectful in the performance of their duties.\"<sup>[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/060612QFRs-Bernal.pdf)</sup> He also wrote that \"Judges should strictly adhere to the doctrine of stare decisis and apply binding precedent whether or not they personally agree with that precedent.\"<sup>[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/060612QFRs-Bernal.pdf)</sup>\n\n## Notable cases\n\nIn written responses to Senator Chuck Grassley during his confirmation process, Bernal addressed his 2007 article speaking favorably of the Fourth Circuit ruling in Al-Marri v. Wright and discussed the Supreme Court's plurality opinion in [Hamdi v. Rumsfeld](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamdi-v-rumsfeld). He wrote that the plurality's reasoning indicates that the Authorization for Use of Military Force authorizes the detention of non-citizen enemy combatants captured under the same circumstances as Hamdi, and stated: \"If I am confirmed, I would carefully examine and apply the Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent in that area of the law.\"<sup>[3](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/060612QFRs-Bernal.pdf)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Jesus Gilberto Bernal](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394081)\n2. [Senate Confirms Jesus G. Bernal as U.S. District Judge for Central District of California](https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/senate-confirms-jesus-g-bernal-us-district-judge-central-district-california)\n3. [Written Responses of Nominee Jesus G. Bernal to Senate Judiciary Committee Questions](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/060612QFRs-Bernal.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 A to Bi*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 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",
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