{ "id": "epe1kbaep6", "slug": "lonny-r-suko", "title": "Lonny R. Suko", "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": "Lonny R. Suko, born in 1943 in Spokane, Washington, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2003.", "snippet": "Lonny R. Suko, born in 1943 in Spokane, Washington, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2003.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-se-to-sy", "markdown": "# Lonny R. Suko\n\nLonny R. Suko (born 1943) is an American jurist serving as a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington since 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) He was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) He served as Chief Judge of the court from July 13, 2009 to January 27, 2011 and assumed senior status on November 1, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) |\n| Appointed by | George W. Bush[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) |\n| Confirmed | July 15, 2003 (Senate voted 94 to 0)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080276) |\n| Senior status | November 1, 2013[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) |\n| Born | 1943, Spokane, Washington[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) |\n| Education | B.A., Washington State University, 1965; J.D., University of Idaho College of Law, 1968[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nSuko was born in 1943 in [Spokane, Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/spokane-washington).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) He received his [Bachelor of Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-arts) degree from [Washington State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/washington-state-university) in 1965 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law in 1968.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Suko served as a law clerk to Judge Charles L. Powell of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington from 1968 to 1969.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) He then spent more than two decades in private practice in [Yakima, Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/yakima-washington), from 1969 to 1995.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) Alongside his private practice, he served part-time as a United States Magistrate for the Eastern District of Washington from 1971 to 1991, and later served full-time as a United States Magistrate Judge for that court from 1995 to 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident [George W. Bush](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-w-bush) nominated Suko on April 28, 2003, to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington vacated by [William Fremming Nielsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-f-nielsen).[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) The Senate confirmed him on July 15, 2003, by a vote of 94 to 0.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) • [2](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080276) He received his commission on July 16, 2003.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906) Suko served as Chief Judge of the district from July 13, 2009 to January 27, 2011, and he assumed senior status on November 1, 2013.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Lonny R. Suko](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391906)\n2. [Senate Roll Call Vote, July 15, 2003](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1080276)\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/lonny-r-suko", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko.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": "\"Lonny R. Suko\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Lonny R. Suko](https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko](https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Lonny R. Suko\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/lonny-r-suko. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Lonny R. Suko, born in 1943 in Spokane, Washington, is a senior United States district judge for the Eastern District of Washington, appointed by George W. Bush in 2003." }