Halim Dhanidina

Halim Dhanidina is originally from Chicago, Illinois.

In terms of his education, he earned his Bachelor's degree from Pomona College in Claremont, California in 1994. He then went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law in Los Angeles, California in 1997. He was admitted to the State Bar in December of the same year.

Dhanidina has extensive judicial experience. He served as an Associate Justice in the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division 3 from August 23, 2018, to April 1, 2021. This appointment was made by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Prior to this, he was a Judge in the Los Angeles Superior Court from 2012 to 2018, also appointed by Governor Brown.

Before his judicial appointments, Dhanidina worked in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney from 1998 to 2012. He also shared his knowledge and experience as an Adjunct Professor at several law schools including UCI School of Law, Chapman University Fowler School of Law, Western State Law School, Whittier Law School, and the Glendale University College of Law.

Dhanidina holds several significant distinctions. He was the first Muslim to be appointed to the bench in the State of California. He was also the first Muslim and South Asian American to be appointed to the California Court of Appeal. Furthermore, he was the first Muslim judge at the appellate level in the United States.