News & Events

President Biden today announced the next round of Judicial Nominees for the United States District Court, including former FPD-CDCA staff attorney – and now Magistrate Judge – Kiya Kato. Judge Kato served as an attorney with our office from 1997 to 2003. Judge Kenly Kiya Kato has served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California since 2014. From 2004 to 2014, Judge Kato was a solo practitioner, representing clients in civil and criminal cases. From 2003 to 2004, Judge Kato […]..

Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Patricia A. Young, a supervising attorney with the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California, as Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. Patricia A. Young, 42, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Young has been a Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California since 2014, where she has served as a Deputy […]..

Published on October 7, 2021, by the United States Courts Judiciary News. Cuauhtemoc Ortega grew up in the working-class neighborhood of La Puente in Los Angeles County, where people he knew sometimes struggled through negative encounters with law enforcement and immigration officials. Now, he leads the Federal Public Defender’s Office representing La Puente and the greater Los Angeles area. “In our clients, I see myself, my family, my friends, and my neighbors,” Ortega said. “Being able to show our clients compassion is critical in gaining […]..

Congratulations Cuauhtemoc Ortega, the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California, for being named to the Daily Journal’s Top 100 2021 list!..

Our Los Angeles Trial Chief, David Sutton, will start as the new Marin County Public Defender on October 4, 2021. The Marin County Public Defender news release is below. Marin County Hires New Public Defender San Rafael, CA – David Joseph Sutton began his legal career with the Marin County Public Defender’s Office, and now he is the choice to lead that department. County Administrator Matthew Hymel said a nationwide recruitment process concluded with the recommendation of Sutton, who has served as Trial Chief for the Office […]..