{ "id": "ep8rhwpwgt", "slug": "mary-h-murguia", "title": "Mary H. Murguia", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "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.appeals-judges", "label": "United States courts of appeals judges", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "label": "Surnames K to N", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Mary Helen Murguia, born 1960, is an American judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Barack Obama, and its chief judge since 2021.", "snippet": "Mary Helen Murguia, born 1960, is an American judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Barack Obama, and its chief judge since 2021.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.appeals-judges.alpha-k-to-n", "markdown": "# Mary H. Murguia\n\nMary Helen Murguia (born 1960) is an American jurist serving as a judge of the [United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-ninth-circuit) since 2011.[1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf) She was appointed to the court by President Barack Obama, and previously served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, to which she was appointed by President William J. Clinton.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) She has served as chief judge of the Ninth Circuit since 2021, and is the first Latina to serve as chief judge of a federal appellate court.[1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) |\n| Confirmed | December 22, 2010, by a vote of 89 to 0[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110696) |\n| Chief judge | Ninth Circuit, 2021[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) |\n| Born | 1960, Kansas City, Kansas[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) |\n| Education | B.A. and B.S., University of Kansas, 1982; J.D., University of Kansas School of Law, 1985[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nMurguia was born in 1960 in [Kansas City, Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/kansas-city-kansas).[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) She received bachelor's degrees in both art and science from the [University of Kansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-kansas) in 1982, and her [Juris Doctor](https://www.edgepedia.org/juris-doctor) from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1985.[1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf)\n\n## Legal career\n\nMurguia served as an assistant district attorney for [Wyandotte County](https://www.edgepedia.org/wyandotte-county), Kansas, from 1985 to 1990.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) She then became an assistant United States attorney for the District of Arizona, serving from 1990 to 2000.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) From 1998 to 2000 she also worked in the Executive Office for United States Attorneys at the [United States Department of Justice](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-department-of-justice), serving as counsel to the director's staff from 1998 to 1999, principal deputy director in 1999, and director from 1999 to 2000.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident William J. Clinton nominated Murguia on July 21, 2000, to a new judgeship on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) • [1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf) The Senate confirmed her by voice vote on October 3, 2000, and she received her commission on October 13, 2000.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) Her district court service ended on January 4, 2011, when she was appointed to another judicial position.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261)\n\nPresident [Barack Obama](https://www.edgepedia.org/barack-obama) nominated Murguia to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on March 25, 2010.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) The Senate confirmed her on December 22, 2010, by a vote of 89 to 0,[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110696) and she received her commission on January 4, 2011.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) She became chief judge of the Ninth Circuit in 2021, assuming a variety of administrative responsibilities in addition to hearing cases, including chairing the Executive Committee and the Public Information and Community Outreach Committee.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261) • [1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf) She is the Ninth Circuit's 12th chief judge, the first judge of Hispanic descent to hold the position on the court, and the second woman to serve in the role.[1](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf) She has been a member of the [Judicial Conference of the United States](https://www.edgepedia.org/judicial-conference-of-the-united-states) since 2021.[2](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261)\n\n## Notable cases\n\nOn the Ninth Circuit, Murguia has authored opinions in cases including Union Gospel Mission of Yakima Washington v. Brown, Detrich v. Thornell, and Sedlik v. Von Drachenberg, and has sat on panels in cases including Pacific Maritime Association v. [National Labor Relations Board](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-labor-relations-board) and Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans v. Kristin K. Mayes.[4](https://benchlight.org/judges/mary-helen-murguia) During her service on the district court, she authored 38 published opinions for the court between 2001 and 2011, according to one case database, with her most-cited opinion in Colson v. Avnet, Inc.[5](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/mary-murguia)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Gavel Passing Brings New Chief Judge to the Ninth Circuit](https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/ce9/2021/12/Gavel_Passing.pdf)\n2. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Mary Helen Murguia](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1391261)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, December 22, 2010](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1110696)\n4. [Mary Helen Murguia, BenchLight](https://benchlight.org/judges/mary-helen-murguia)\n5. [Mary Helen Murguia, JudicialFinder](https://judicialfinder.com/judges/mary-murguia)\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 courts of appeals judges › Surnames K to N*\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/mary-h-murguia", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia.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": "\"Mary H. Murguia\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Mary H. Murguia](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia](https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Mary H. Murguia\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/mary-h-murguia. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Mary Helen Murguia, born 1960, is an American judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Barack Obama, and its chief judge since 2021." }