Press Release of U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer

Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Jon S. Tigar  and William H. Orrick III for the Northern District Federal Court  

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today praised the Senate Judiciary Committee for voting to approve the nominations of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jon S. Tigar and San Francisco attorney William H. Orrick III to serve as United States District Court Judges for the Northern District of California.  Senator Boxer recommended the nominations of Tigar and Orrick to the White House, and the Judiciary Committee approved their nominations today.

Senator Boxer said, “I am very pleased that the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Judge Jon Tigar to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.  His distinguished and diverse legal career will make him a superb addition to the bench.
 
“I also want to thank the committee for approving William Orrick to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.  Mr. Orrick’s extensive experience as an attorney in both the public and private sector will make him a tremendous asset on the court.

“I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in swiftly confirming these talented nominees.”

Since 2002, Judge Tigar has served on the Alameda County Superior Court, where he has presided over civil, criminal and family law cases. Previously, he was a partner at Keker & Van Nest, and served as a trial attorney for the Public Defender’s Office in San Francisco. Before he joined the state court bench, Judge Tigar received an award from the State Bar of California for his pro bono services.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and earned his law degree from the University of California-Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law.

Since 2009, Orrick has served as a Counsel and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. Before 2009, Orrick spent 25 years as a litigator at the San Francisco law firm of Coblentz, Patch, Duffy and Bass. He also spent five years providing pro bono legal services for low-income clients in Georgia.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and earned his law degree from the Boston College Law School.

The Northern District of California stretches from the Monterey Coast in the south to California’s northern border with Oregon and from the Pacific Ocean in the west nearly to Sacramento County in the east. More than 7.3 million people live in the district, which includes San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.