First Muslim American judge appointed in California

SACRAMENTO,CA–Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.   last week announced the appointment of Halim Dhanidina to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Halim Dhanidina, 39, of Los Angeles, has served as a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1998. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College. He fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a court commissioner position. Dhanidina is a Democrat. According to the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Dhanidina will be the first American-Muslim judge ever appointed in California.

“Dhanidina’s appointment is an important step in ensuring California leaders accurately reflect the communities present in our great state,” said Aziza Hasan, MPAC’s Southern California Government Relations Director. “This news will benefit the community at large and serve as an important marker for Gov. Brown, who will be known as the first governor to appoint a Muslim American as a judge in the state of California.”

For more than a year, MPAC has advocated for Dhanidina’s appointment to the Superior Court as he has an outstanding record, which includes high-level prosecutions of gang units. Dhanidina has served as a deputy district attorney in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 1998. Over the past several years, Dhanidina has prosecuted more than two dozen murder cases, including six capital cases.

“I am grateful to MPAC for supporting me during this process. I also thank Gov. Brown for the opportunity to contribute to the pursuit of justice as a Muslim and as an American,” Dhanidina said. “Above all, I am thankful to God for this achievement. As a judge, I hope to show the Muslim American community that there is a place for us to participate in all aspects of civil society. I also hope to show members of society at large that people of all backgrounds can serve the public with honor and integrity.” 

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