Nandor Vadas
Encyclopedia
Nandor Joseph Vadas is a United States Magistrate Judge
for the Northern District of California
. He was appointed as a part-time magistrate in July 2004 and as a full-time magistrate in August 2009. Vadas is also a member of the Magistrate Advisory Group to the U.S. Judicial Conference
.
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, he attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, receiving his J.D.
in 1982. He was admitted to the California bar
the same year and was hired in 1983 as a deputy district attorney for San Francisco. In 1989, he left the district attorney's office and became an Assistant United States Attorney. In 1998, he moved from San Francisco to the federal magistrate court in Eureka, California
as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. Because of the part-time nature of the court, he returned to state service as a deputy district attorney. When grant funding for the position ended in May 2004, he was laid off. In July, he was appointed as a part-time magistrate judge by the District Court, with a renewable term of four years. Located in a rural area, the courthouse offered minimal services, generally handling a sporadic calendar of infractions and misdemeanors. To clear the multitude of civil rights lawsuits filed by inmates in Pelican Bay State Prison
, he started an early settlement program focused on speedily resolving such matters. The District Court considered the program a success, expanding the program to all state prisons in the district. Implementation was not just limited to the Northern District as the program also included some prisons in the Eastern District of California
.
As a result of his work and additional responsibilities, the magistrate position was upgraded to full-time in August 2009, with Vadas being reappointed for an eight-year term.
United States magistrate judge
In the United States federal courts, magistrate judges are appointed to assist United States district court judges in the performance of their duties...
for the Northern District of California
United States District Court for the Northern District of California
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San...
. He was appointed as a part-time magistrate in July 2004 and as a full-time magistrate in August 2009. Vadas is also a member of the Magistrate Advisory Group to the U.S. Judicial Conference
Judicial Conference of the United States
The Judicial Conference of the United States, formerly known as Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, was created by the United States Congress in 1922 with the principal objective of framing policy guidelines for administration of judicial courts in the United States...
.
After graduating from UC Santa Cruz, he attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, receiving his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1982. He was admitted to the California bar
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
the same year and was hired in 1983 as a deputy district attorney for San Francisco. In 1989, he left the district attorney's office and became an Assistant United States Attorney. In 1998, he moved from San Francisco to the federal magistrate court in Eureka, California
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. Because of the part-time nature of the court, he returned to state service as a deputy district attorney. When grant funding for the position ended in May 2004, he was laid off. In July, he was appointed as a part-time magistrate judge by the District Court, with a renewable term of four years. Located in a rural area, the courthouse offered minimal services, generally handling a sporadic calendar of infractions and misdemeanors. To clear the multitude of civil rights lawsuits filed by inmates in Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison is a supermax California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison near Crescent City in unincorporated Del Norte County, California. The facility is explicitly designed to keep California’s alleged “worst of the worst” prisoners in long-term solitary...
, he started an early settlement program focused on speedily resolving such matters. The District Court considered the program a success, expanding the program to all state prisons in the district. Implementation was not just limited to the Northern District as the program also included some prisons in the Eastern District of California
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California is composed of six divisions.The Bakersfield division has jurisdiction over certain cases in Inyo and Kern counties and on federal lands and National Parks...
.
As a result of his work and additional responsibilities, the magistrate position was upgraded to full-time in August 2009, with Vadas being reappointed for an eight-year term.