Jenkins is a registered Democrat, and his appointment is the primary Newsom has made as governor to the state's excessive courtroom. Jenkins repla
Jenkins is a registered Democrat, and his appointment is the primary Newsom has made as governor to the state’s excessive courtroom. Jenkins replaces Ming Chin, who retired in August.
Previous to his appointment in Newsom’s cupboard, Jenkins served as an affiliate justice on the California 1st District Court docket of Attraction after an appointment by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
He had served beforehand on the U.S. District Court docket for the Northern District of California, nominated by President Invoice Clinton. Earlier in his profession, Jenkins was appointed to the Oakland Municipal Court docket by Republican Gov. George Dukemajian in 1989 and to the Alameda Superior Court docket by Republican Gov. Pete Wilson in 1992.
“Justice Jenkins is extensively revered amongst legal professionals and jurists, lively in his Oakland neighborhood and his religion, and is an honest man to his core,” Newsom stated in an announcement. “As a essential member of my senior management staff, I’ve seen firsthand that Justice Jenkins possesses brilliance and humility in equal measure. The individuals of California couldn’t ask for a greater jurist or kinder particular person to tackle this vital duty.”
Loyola Regulation College professor Jessica Levinson stated that with Jenkins’ appointment, California’s highest courtroom will probably “lurch to the left.” She stated “there’s little question” that he might be extra liberal on the bench than Justice Ming Chin, who was “a conservative — at the least by California requirements.”
Jenkins is now a resident of Oakland. He attended Santa Clara College — the alma mater of Newsom — the place he was elected captain of the college’s soccer staff. Jenkins was drafted to play for the Seattle Seahawks as a cornerback and left the NFL to enter the College of San Francisco Regulation College on the Tutorial Help Program, geared toward aiding college students needing particular help.
He graduated with honors and have become an legal professional with Pacific Bell after which a prosecutor within the Alameda County District Lawyer’s Workplace and later went to the civil rights division of the U.S. Justice Division.
He was appointed in January 2019 to be Newsom’s authorized appointments secretary, charged with vetting candidates for vacancies within the state’s appellate and trial courts.
Jenkins appointment marks solely the second homosexual and black justice to serve on a state Supreme Court docket nationwide. Grace Helen Whitener, an LGBTQ Trinidadian American legal professional and jurist, now serves as an affiliate justice of the Washington Supreme Court docket, after being nominated by Governor Jay Inslee earlier this yr.