{ "id": "epww4nxjcq", "slug": "sarala-v-nagala", "title": "Sarala V. Nagala", "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-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "label": "United States · 2021 and later: Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "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-n-to-p", "label": "Surnames N to P", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Sarala V. Nagala, also known as Sarala Vidya Nagala, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the District of Connecticut since 2021.", "snippet": "Sarala V. Nagala, also known as Sarala Vidya Nagala, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the District of Connecticut since 2021.", "node": "society.law.practice.people.people.judges.us.federal.article3.district-judges.alpha-n-to-p", "markdown": "# Sarala V. Nagala\n\nSarala Vidya Nagala (born 1983)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut since 2021.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) She was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) Her chambers are located in the Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building in Hartford.[2](https://ctd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Press-Release-District-Judge-Sarala-Nagala-2021.pdf)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) |\n| Appointed by | Joseph R. Biden[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) |\n| Confirmed | October 27, 2021 (Senate voted 52 to 46)[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170436) |\n| Born | 1983 in Oakes, ND[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) |\n| Education | B.A., Stanford University, 2005; J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, 2008[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nNagala was born in 1983 in Oakes, North Dakota.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) She graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Public Policy in 2005 and graduated from the [University of California](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-california), Berkeley, School of Law in 2008.[4](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/biography-district-judge-sarala-v-nagala)\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Nagala clerked for United States Circuit Judge Susan P. Graber on the [United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-court-of-appeals-for-the-ninth-circuit) from 2008 to 2009.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) She then joined the law firm of Munger, Tolles, & Olson LLP as an associate in San Francisco, practicing there from 2009 to 2012.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) • [4](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/biography-district-judge-sarala-v-nagala)\n\nIn 2012, Nagala joined the [United States Attorney](https://www.edgepedia.org/united-states-attorney)'s Office for the District of Connecticut as an assistant United States attorney, where she served until 2021.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) She prosecuted cases involving child exploitation, human trafficking, hate crimes, government fraud, identity theft, and other matters.[4](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/biography-district-judge-sarala-v-nagala) She served as deputy chief of the Major Crimes and National Security Unit from 2016 to 2017 and as deputy chief of the Major Crimes Unit from 2017 to 2021.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) From 2017 to 2019, she was a visiting clinical lecturer in law at [Yale Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/yale-law-school), where she taught a prosecution externship course.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) • [2](https://ctd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Press-Release-District-Judge-Sarala-Nagala-2021.pdf)\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nPresident Joseph R. Biden nominated Nagala to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut on June 15, 2021.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) The United States Senate confirmed her on October 27, 2021, by a vote of 52 to 46.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) • [3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170436) She received her commission from President Joseph R. Biden on November 3, 2021, and was sworn in that same day by Chief United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill.[1](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811) • [2](https://ctd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Press-Release-District-Judge-Sarala-Nagala-2021.pdf) \n\n## Chambers practices\n\nAccording to her pretrial preferences, Nagala does not review letters sent by a party, asking instead that the Clerk of Court return any such letters to the sender, a policy she describes as designed \"to safeguard the rule against ex parte communications, and to further the public's interest in pending court proceedings.\"[5](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/content/sarala-v-nagala) Her preferences state that she \"believes in the value of oral argument and usually schedules oral argument on dispositive motions,\" and that she generally prefers that parties propose a discovery schedule allowing discovery to close between six and nine months from the filing of the Rule 26(f) Report.[5](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/content/sarala-v-nagala)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges: Sarala Vidya Nagala](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10931811)\n2. [New Judge Appointed to the District Court](https://ctd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/Press-Release-District-Judge-Sarala-Nagala-2021.pdf)\n3. [Senate Roll Call Vote, October 27, 2021](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1170436)\n4. [Biography - District Judge Sarala V. Nagala](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/biography-district-judge-sarala-v-nagala)\n5. [Sarala V. Nagala - Pretrial Preferences](https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/content/sarala-v-nagala)\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 N to P*\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/sarala-v-nagala", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala.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": "\"Sarala V. Nagala\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Sarala V. Nagala](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Sarala V. Nagala\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/sarala-v-nagala. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Sarala V. Nagala, also known as Sarala Vidya Nagala, is an American jurist serving as a United States district judge for the District of Connecticut since 2021." }