Senates votes 58-41.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Attorney Vince Chhabria was confirmed by the US Senate to become the first-ever Indian American federal judge appointed for the state of California.
The Senate confirmed Chhabria by a margin of 58-41, meaning that he will now move on from his current position as the deputy city attorney for government litigation in San Francisco, an office he has held since 2005. Chhabria was originally nominated for the judgeship by President Barack Obama last July, and re-nominated earlier this year.
In announcing Chhabria’s confirmation US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) lauded his selection, saying in a press release “I am pleased the Senate has confirmed Vince Chhabria to serve as a federal judge for the Northern District. His dedication and extensive legal experience will make him a tremendous addition to the court.”
Other political luminaries who congratulated Chhabria include Congressman Mike Honda, who said “His confirmation marks a historic moment for the AAPI [Asian American Pacific Islander] community.”
Congressman Ami Bera said, “Vince Chhabria will make an excellent judge for the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California, and I’m delighted that he was confirmed,” and Congresswoman Judy Chu, who is also the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said, “I commend President Obama for his tremendous leadership in nominating highly qualified and diverse candidates to the federal bench, and thank my Senate colleagues for moving this confirmation forward.”
Chhabria will be one of the 14 members of the San Francisco Bay Area’s 14-memer US District Court circuit, and one of only a few Indian American judges across the entire nation. A graduate of University of California Santa Cruz in 1991, Chabbria received his JD from the Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley in 1998.
Chhabria served as a law clerk to Judge Charles Breyer of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, from 1998 to 1999. He also clerked for Judge James R. Browning of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, from 1999 to 2000. The following year, he worked as an associate at the law firm of Keker & Van Nest, LLP, and that same year went on to work for Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the United States Supreme Court. From 2002 to 2004, he worked as an associate at the law firm of Covington & Burling, LLP.
Currently visiting India, from which his parents originally hail, Chhabria released a statement in which he thanked President Obama for nominating him, saying that “The fact that I have been confirmed while traveling in India makes this an especially proud moment for me.”
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com