Derrick Watson
Derrick Kahala Watson (born September 9, 1966) is an American lawyer who serves as the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.
Derrick Watson | |
|---|---|
| Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii | |
| Assumed office November 6, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | John Michael Seabright |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii | |
| Assumed office April 23, 2013 | |
| Appointed by | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | David Alan Ezra |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Derrick Kahala Watson September 9, 1966 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Education | Harvard University (AB, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 1998–2006 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Judge Advocate General's Corps |
A native of Hawaii, he graduated from Harvard University and Harvard Law School before entering private practice in San Francisco. He served as a federal prosecutor for some years in California and then Hawaii, rising to become chief of the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii. He was appointed to the federal bench in 2013 by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate in 2013. Watson is the fourth Native Hawaiian federal judge in U.S. history, and the only one currently serving.
Watson acted against the Trump travel ban in 2017.