U.S. Magistrate Judge Retirement and Vacancy Announcement

With Judge Ryu’s upcoming retirement in January 2026, there will be a Magistrate Judge opening in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The application and posting will be available soon.

There is a limited window of time to apply: the application period will be from approximately April 11, 2025 through May 11, 2025. The Court encourages interested applicants to watch the video on the court’s website about the magistrate judge application process in the District: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKhB1gvxJsk.

Upon her appointment in March 2010, Judge Ryu became the first Asian American woman, the first Korean American, and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to become a member of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. She has presided over civil consent cases spanning all major practice areas, conducted over a thousand settlement conferences, and managed discovery in complex matters. For ten years, she also presided over the Oakland Reentry Court, which facilitates the reintegration of individuals on post-conviction supervision into the community. Judge Ryu currently chairs the Pro Bono Projects Committee and serves on the court’s Executive Committee and Education Committee, with prior service on others including Local Rules and Subcommittee on E-Discovery. On the occasion of this announcement, Judge Ryu said, “Serving on this court has been the honor of a lifetime. I’m grateful to my exceptional colleagues, law clerks, and court family for all their support over the years. I look forward to continuing to contribute fully to the administration of justice until my retirement." You can read more about Judge Ryu’s remarkable legal career here: https://cand.uscourts.gov/notices/chief-magistrate-judge-donna-m-ryu/