David Alan Ezra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senior Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii[Note 1] | |
| Assumed office June 27, 2012 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii | |
| In office 1999–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Cooke Kay |
| Succeeded by | Helen W. Gillmor |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii | |
| In office May 20, 1988 – June 27, 2012 | |
| Appointed by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Samuel Pailthorpe King |
| Succeeded by | Derrick Watson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1947-06-27)June 27, 1947 (age 78) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Education | St. Mary's University (BBA,JD) |
David Alan Ezra (born June 27, 1947)[1] is aseniorUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii. Since January 2013, Ezra has been designated by theChief Justice of theUnited States Supreme Court to serve on theUnited States District Court for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio and Austin Divisions to help ease the heavy workload for the federal judges in Texas. Judge Ezra is often designated to sit on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where he holds the record for the most designated sittings of any judge in that Court’s history.[2]
Born inColumbus, Ohio, Ezra’s family moved to Hawaii when he was quite young and he grew up in Hawaii. Ezra graduated from St. Louis High School in Honolulu and received aBachelor of Business Administration fromSt. Mary's Universitymagna cum laude in 1969, followed by aJuris Doctor fromSt. Mary's University School of Law in 1972, where he graduated first in his class.[3] He served in the US Marine Corps from 1966-1968. He also served as a commissioned officer in theUnited States Army from 1971 to 1976.
Ezra was in private practice inHonolulu,Hawaii from 1972 to 1988, becoming a partner in the law firm of Anthony, Hoddick, Reinwald, and O'Connor in 1980. Ezra became the Managing Partner of the law firm of Ezra, O'Connor, Moon and Tam in 1981.[4] He was anadjunct professor of law at theWilliam S. Richardson School of Law from 1978 to 2013. He has been the jurist in residence at St. Mary’s University School of Law since 2016.[citation needed]
On November 18, 1987, Ezra was nominated by PresidentRonald Reagan to a seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii vacated by JudgeSamuel Pailthorpe King. Ezra was unanimously confirmed by theUnited States Senate on May 19, 1988, and received his commission on May 20, 1988.[4] He served as chief judge from 1999 to 2005.[5]
Ezra was the youngest federal judge ever appointed to the District of Hawaii and the first federal judge from Hawaii to be elected to theJudicial Conference of the United States. Ezra also served as Secretary, Vice President, andPresident of the District Judges Association of the Ninth Circuit and served multiple terms on the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council. He also served as Vice President of the Federal Judges Association and remains a member of the Board of Directors. Ezra was appointed and served on the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System and was its long range planning chairman. In 2010 Ezra was appointed to the Council on Budget and Finance of theJudicial Conference of the United States. In 2023 Ezra was appointed to the Committee which oversees Oscar, the federal judicial law clerk hiring system. Ezra continues to be designated to serve on federal courts both within and outside the Ninth Circuit, particularly in complex cases, and is often designated to sit on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals where he holds the record for the most designated sittings of any judge in that Court’s history. He assumedsenior status on June 27, 2012, having served as an active judge in regular service longer than any other judge in Hawaii history.[6] Ezra continues to carry a full caseload.
In January 2013, Ezra was designated by the Chief JusticeJohn Roberts to the Western District of Texas, San Antonio and Austin Divisions, to help ease the heavy workload for the federal judges in that state.[2] Ezra maintains chambers and courtrooms in both San Antonio and Austin, but does the bulk of his court work in Austin, Texas.
Ezra presided overUnited States v. Texas, a legal challenge toTexas Senate Bill 4 which empowers state and local police officers to arrest migrants who cross fromMexico without authorization.[7] Ezra struck down S.B. 4 in February, and the 5th circuit affirmed Ezra's ruling on March 26.[8]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii 1988–2012 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Hawaii 1999–2005 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
