Judge Holly A. Thomas

Judge Holly A. Thomas

Nominated for a Lifetime Position to:
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Nomination Status:
Fair? Yes
Independent? Yes
Qualified? Yes

NCJW Supports Judge Holly A. Thomas. Here’s why:

Judge Thomas has spent the bulk of her career primarily as a civil rights litigator, working for both the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Civil Rights Division in the US Department of Justice. Since 2018, Thomas has served as a judge on the Los Angeles Superior Court. From affirmative action to desegregation to Title IX, Judge Thomas has experience on a range of issues likely to come before her on the nation’s largest appellate court. She received her JD from Yale Law School and her BA, with Honors and Distinction, from Stanford University. If confirmed, Judge Holly A. Thomas would be the second Black woman ever on the Ninth Circuit (and the first from California).

Judge Holly A. Thomas’ stance on important issues:

Civil Rights:

While working for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Judge Thomas was a key part of the legal team that defended the University of Texas’ admissions policies, which used race as a part of a variety of factors in college admissions.This case was later taken to the Supreme Court, which upheld the policy. At the US Department of Justice, Judge Thomas fought to ensure the Tucson School District remained committed to enrollment policies that did not perpetuate segregation. And, she represented the US government in support of female volleyball players who sued Quinnipiac University for violations of Title IX when they sought to cut the women’s varsity volleyball team, creating unequal opportunities for female students to compete in varsity sports when compared to male students.

Judge Holly A. Thomas’ Experience and Education:

Experience and Recognitions:

Judge Thomas joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund as a Liman Fellow followed by a stint as Assistant Counsel. She moved to the US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, serving as a Senior Appellate Attorney, and left the Department to join the New York Solicitor General’s Office. Judge Thomas worked for the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing as Deputy Director of Executive Programs and was later nominated by Governor Jerry Brown to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Family Law Division, where she currently serves. As an appellate litigator, Judge Thomas represented clients on over two dozen cases before the federal courts of appeals or the US Supreme Court, and in over a dozen matters before state courts. She has argued cases before the US Courts of Appeals for the First, Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Ninth Circuits, as well as state appellate courts. Due to her outstanding work as a litigator, Judge Thomas received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in 2014.

Education and Clerkships:

Judge Thomas received her BA with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University and her JD from Yale Law School. Upon graduating from law school, Judge Thomas clerked for Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw who served on the very court to which she has been nominated. 

Professional Affiliations:

Judge Thomas has served on the board of Lambda Legal and on the Executive Committee of the Yale Law School Association as the representative for the Region of Southern California.


Because #CourtsMatter, NCJW believes all federal judges must be:

Fair

Do they respect equality and justice for all and understand the impact of the law on everyone?

Independent

Are they impartial, nonpartisan, and not influenced by outside parties or interests?

Qualified

Have they been objectively assessed for their experience, competence, principles, and temperament?

I want federal judges who are fair, independent, and qualified.