United States District Court for the Southern District of California

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California is a federal court in the Ninth Circuit.
The District was created on September 28, 1850, following the passage of the California Statehood Act on September 9, 1850. The state was divided into a Northern and Southern district. The Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 abolished the Northern and Southern districts, re-organizing California as a single circuit district. On August 5, 1886 the Southern district was re-established, following the division of the state into Northern and Southern districts. The district was further divided on March 18, 1966 with the creation of the Central and Eastern districts.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. the United States attorney is Adam Gordon.

Organization of the court

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California is one of four federal district courts in California. Court for the District is held at El Centro and the Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse and U.S. Courthouse Annex in San Diego. The district comprises Imperial and San Diego counties.

The U.S. Attorney is the chief law-enforcement officer for the district.