Dianne Feinstein: “it is my pleasure to support Judge Lawrence O'Neill's nomination to the Eastern District of California. His confirmation…”

“it is my pleasure to support Judge Lawrence O'Neill's nomination to the Eastern District of California. His confirmation would help to alleviate a judicial emergency in the Eastern District of California. The Fresno Division, to which Judge O'Neill is nominated, is suffering from a particularly acute overload of cases. Judge Anthony Ishii and Senior Judge Oliver Wanger are currently the only judges on the Fresno Division of the Eastern District. Their average caseload is the highest in the Nation. The people of Fresno and the Eastern District truly need the help that Judge O'Neill will provide. Fortunately, Judge O'Neill is uniquely qualified to step in and offer immediate relief to the Eastern District because he has been a magistrate judge in the District since 1999. In addition, for the last 17 years, Judge O'Neill has been a judge in California, spending 10 years as a superior court judge in Fresno before becoming a magistrate. He is a homegrown Californian. He was born in Oakland, CA, and attended school in California. He received a bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of California, Berkeley, a master's degree in public education from Golden Gate University, and a law degree from Hastings College of Law. Before attending law school, he was a police officer for the city of San Leandro. I believe this additional perspective will prove an asset on the bench.”