The Southern District welcomes California Superior Court Judge James E. Simmons, Jr., as the newest U.S. district judge. On March 9, 2023, the Senate confirmed Judge Simmons to fill the seat formerly held by District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia, who assumed senior status on March 31, 2021.
“Judge Simmons is well known in the community for his steady leadership as Supervising Judge in the North County Branch of the San Diego Superior Court,” said Chief District Judge Dana M. Sabraw of the Southern District of California. “He also brings a wealth of trial experience as a former respected trial attorney in the District Attorney’s Office. We are so pleased and look forward with great anticipation to Judge Simmons joining our bench.”
Judge Simmons has been a judge on the California Superior Court in San Diego County since 2017 and has been the supervising judge of the North County Branch of the San Diego Superior Court since April 2022. From 2006 to 2017, he was a deputy district attorney in the San Diego District Attorney’s Office and was a deputy city attorney in the San Diego City Attorney’s Office in 2005.
While district attorney, Judge Simmons received a number of awards including the San Diego County Prosecutor of the Year, San Diego Deputy District Attorney Association, in 2016; the President’s Award, Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association, in 2011; and named Top Trial Attorney, San Diego District Attorney Superior Court Division, in 2008.
Judge Simmons received his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2004 and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, in 2001.
Read more about Judge Simmons here.