Northern District of California / Appointed 2014 / Active
James Donato
Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 and confirmed by the Senate 90–5, James Donato is a Judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He earned a law degree from Stanford Law School in 1988. Sources: FJC Biographical Directory · Senate confirmation, February 25, 2014
- Appointed by
- Barack Obama, 2014
- Confirmed
- 90–5
- Education
- University of California, Berkeley 1983 · Stanford Law School 1988
- Succeeded
- James Ware
Federal judicial service
| Year | Court | Appointed by | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Northern District of California · succeeded James Ware | Obama (D) | 90–5 |
A per-senator roll-call isn’t shown for this confirmation. The Senate’s recorded roll-call votes begin in 1989; many confirmations (especially before then, and most to the lower courts) were by voice vote or unanimous consent.
Education
| University of California, Berkeley | B.A. | 1983 |
| Harvard University | A.M. | 1984 |
| Stanford Law School | J.D. | 1988 |
Sources
12 years on the Northern District of California. Data last verified 2026-06-28. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).