Jacqueline Nguyen

Early life and education

Born Hong-Ngoc Thi Nguyen () in Da Lat, Vietnam, her father was a South Vietnamese Army major who had worked closely with U.S. intelligence officials during the Vietnam War, she has 6 siblings. Nguyen moved to the United States when she was 10 as a refugee, after the Fall of Saigon in 1975. She was airlifted with her family to Camp Pendleton where they lived in a tent city shelter and were provided support for several months before being resettled. Her family later opened a doughnut shop in Glendale, California, where Nguyen worked everyday after school and the weekends to help her parents.

Nguyen earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1987 from Occidental College. She then earned a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law in 1991.

Professional career

From 1991 until 1995, Nguyen worked in private law practice, specializing in civil litigation as a litigation associate at the firm Musick, Peeler & Garrett.

Federal judicial service

District court service

On July 31, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Nguyen to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California, On December 1, 2009, the United States Senate confirmed Nguyen by a 97–0 vote. She received her commission on December 4, 2009. On May 15, 2012, her service on the District Court terminated due to her elevation to the court of appeals.

Ninth Circuit service

On September 22, 2011, President Obama nominated Nguyen to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Senate confirmed Nguyen by a 91–3 vote on May 7, 2012. She received her commission on May 14, 2012. She is the first Asian-American female to serve as a federal appellate judge. She is also the first Vietnamese-American federal judge, and the first Asian-Pacific American female federal judge in California. In 2012, she was speculated to be a candidate for the Supreme Court. In February 2016, The New York Times identified her as a potential nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia.

Notable cases

On September 3, 2015, Nguyen granted relief to Edin Avendano-Hernandez, a transgender Mexican, because she showed adequate proof that she would likely face torture if deported back to Mexico. Nguyen was joined by Harry Pregerson and Barrington D. Parker Jr.

On December 29, 2017, Nguyen partially dissented when Stephen Reinhardt and Harry Pregerson blocked an execution due to the mental health of the criminal defendant.

On June 6, 2019, Nguyen ruled against Hyundai and Kia, ruling that they lied about their fuel economy and did not show that the California law would not apply.

On September 23, 2021, Nguyen reversed a ruling by District Judge David O. Carter that would have required Los Angeles to provide housing for the homeless on Skid Row. Nguyen ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove that plaintiffs had suffered racial or other types of discrimination.

On December 22, 2025, Nguyen authored the ruling upholding the convictions of Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani.

Personal life

Nguyen's husband, Pio S. Kim, was also a federal prosecutor. She has two children.

References

References

1. The Associated Press. (2016-02-14). "Who Obama Might Nominate to Replace Scalia on Supreme Court". The New York Times.
2. Greg Stohr, [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-09/obama-s-victory-creates-new-chance-to-mold-u-s-supreme-court.html Obama’s Victory Creates New Chance to Mold U.S. Supreme Court] {{Webarchive. link. (March 14, 2014, ''[[Bloomberg L.P.]]'' (9 November 2012).)
3. (September 22, 2020). "If Elected, Who Would Joe Biden Pick for the Supreme Court?". [[Newsweek]].
4. Greene, Robert. (August 14, 2002). "Davis Names Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Nguyen To Fill Vacancy on Los Angeles Superior Court". [[Metropolitan News-Enterprise]].
5. Garvey, Sarah. (December 9, 2003). "Daily Journal profiles Hon. Jacqueline Nguyen". Los Angeles Daily Journal.
6. Borja, Rhea. (December 1, 2009). "Jacqueline Nguyen '87 Appointed to Federal Bench". Occidental College: News & Events.
7. Guccione, Jean. (August 18, 2002). "2 Asian American Women Named as Judges". [[Los Angeles Times]].
8. {{FJC Bio
9. "Potential high court nominee Nguyen inspired by her family". Savannah Morning News.
10. "Judicial Nomination Materials: 111th Congress". United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
11. "On the Nomination (Confirmation Jacqueline H. Nguyen, of CA, to be U.S. District Judge)".
12. "Jacqueline Nguyen '87 Appointed to Federal Bench".
13. link. (June 2016)
14. "On the Nomination (Confirmation Jacqueline H. Nguyen, of California, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit)".
15. (2012-12-05). "Feinstein Announces Confirmation of Judge Jacqueline Nguyen". Press Releases – News Room – United States Senator Dianne Feinstein.
16. "In The News | Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)".
17. Greg Stohr. (2012-11-09). "Obama's Victory Creates New Chance to Mold U.S. Supreme Court".
18. (2016-02-14). "Potential Supreme Court Nominees". [[The New York Times]].
19. [http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2015/09/03/13-73744.pdf Edin Carey Avendano-Hernandez v. Loretta E. Lynch]
20. [http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2017/12/29/11-99013.pdf FRANCIS G. HERNANDEZ v. KEVIN CHAPPELL, Warden]
21. [http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2019/06/06/15-56014.pdf IN RE HYUNDAI AND KIA FUEL ECONOMY LITIGATION]
22. (September 23, 2021). "LA Alliance For Human Rights v. County of Los Angeles".
23. (September 23, 2021). "Appeals court strikes down sweeping order to house L.A.'s skid row homeless population".
24. (2025-12-22). "USA v. Holmes".