Five Federal Judges Lose Homes in Southern California Wildfires

Five judges and six staffers on the Los Angeles-based federal trial court have lost their homes in wildfires that have raged across Southern California for the past week, according to the court’s clerk.

They are part of at least 40 judges and court staffers for the US District Court for the Central District of California who have been affected by the fires, including those who have faced evacuation orders, power outages, and water quality issues, said Brian Karth, the district court executive and clerk of court.

The judges affected include both active and senior district judges, as well as bankruptcy and magistrate judges, who have had their homes burn down or be badly damaged. Some judges “have literally lost their entire wardrobe” and don’t have the means to come into work, while others have relocated and are able to continue working, Karth said.

Karth said the court, which has locations in downtown Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and Riverside, is still “open and operational.” However, this status is “subject to change” and some proceedings have been postponed on a case-by-case basis depending on the needs of the litigants and judges, he said.

“Our hearts obviously go out to all of those who are impacted, including our court family,” Karth said.

Karth said that other California courts have offered to help out, but that the Central District has yet to move any proceedings to other districts due to the fires. He also said the courthouses themselves haven’t been physically damaged, though they are encouraging occupants to wear medical masks given the poor air quality in the area.

The wildfires, which began last week and have since torn through the greater Los Angeles area, have killed 24 people, the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office said Sunday.

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit announced Jan. 9 that its Pasadena courthouse would be closed to the public through Jan. 17, and previously scheduled proceedings will be held remotely, due to “the continuing high winds and the ongoing uncertainty related to the Southern California wildfires.”

Representatives for the appeals court didn’t return a request for comment on the number of appellate judges impacted by the fires.