Frances Tydingco-Gatewood

Summary

Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood (born January 21, 1958) is an American attorney and jurist. She has served as Chief Judge of the federal District Court of Guam since 2006, having been nominated by President George W. Bush. Prior to this, she served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Guam and as trial judge on the Superior Court of Guam.[1]

Frances Tydingco-Gatewood
Chief Judge of the District Court of Guam
Assumed office
October 30, 2006
Appointed byGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byJohn S. Unpingco
Associate Justice of the Guam Supreme Court
In office
February 8, 2002 – October 29, 2006
Appointed byCarl Gutierrez
Preceded byBenjamin J.F. Cruz
Judge of the Guam Superior Court
In office
1994 – February 7, 2002
Appointed byJoseph F. Ada
Preceded byRamon Diaz
Personal details
Born
Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood

(1958-01-21) January 21, 1958 (age 66)
Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
EducationMarquette University (BA)
University of Missouri–Kansas City (JD)

Early life and education edit

Tydingco-Gatewood was born on January 21, 1958, in Honolulu, Hawaii. She attended George Washington High School, in Mangilao, Guam and obtained her Bachelor of Arts in political science at Marquette University in 1980. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law in 1983.[2]

Legal career edit

She began her legal career as a law clerk for Forest W. Hanna on the circuit court of Jackson County, Missouri, from 1983 to 1984.[1] In 1984, she became the first female Chamoru assistant Attorney General of Guam. She served as assistant attorney general in that office until 1988. She then worked with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office in Missouri as an assistant prosecutor from 1988 to 1990. While in the Missouri office, She was assigned to the Drug Team and Homicide Unit and served as the Trial Team Leader for the Sex Crimes Unit. Subsequently, she served as chief prosecutor for the District of Guam from 1990 to 1994 at the Office of the Attorney General.[3]

Judicial career edit

Superior Court of Guam edit

In 1994, she was appointed by Governor Joseph F. Ada as a trial judge of the Superior Court of Guam.[4]

Supreme Court of Guam edit

On September 1, 2001, she was appointed by Governor Carl Gutierrez as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Guam. She was sworn in on February 8, 2002[4] and served in that position until October 29, 2006.[1]

United States district and bankruptcy courts of Guam edit

Tydingco-Gatewood was nominated as a United States district judge of the District Court of Guam by President George W. Bush on April 25, 2006. She was confirmed by the United States Senate on August 3, 2006. Chief Judge Tydingco-Gatewood is only one of two judges in the entire federal judiciary who sits as both a district and bankruptcy judge.[5][6]

She was renominated on May 18, 2016, by President Barack Obama to another ten-year term on the court. On January 3, 2017, her nomination was returned to the president at the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress. She is currently sitting as a “holdover” judge and awaiting potential reappointment at this time.[needs update]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "President Obama Nominates Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood to Serve on the United States District Court". whitehouse.gov. 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  2. ^ "Honorable Frances Marie Tydingco Gatewood". guamcourts.org. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  3. ^ "Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
  4. ^ a b "Honorable Frances Marie Tydingco Gatewood". www.guamsupremecourt.com. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
  5. ^ "Presidential Nomination - Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood". archives.gov. 2006. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  6. ^ "The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
Legal offices
Preceded by
John S. Unpingco
Judge of the District Court of Guam
2006–present
Incumbent