Judge Roger Benitez
Southern California U.S. District Court
Roger Thomas Benitez was born in December 1950 in Havana, Cuba. He earned an AA degree from Valley College, a Bachelor of Arts from San Diego State University, and a Juris Doctor from Western State University College of Law. He engaged in the private practice of law in Imperial County, California for nearly 20 years. He was a judge on the California Superior Court for four years, and served as an instructor for Imperial Valley College.
He was nominated by President George W. Bush to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, first to serve as a United States Magistrate Judge, then to a new seat on the court. He was confirmed by the Senate in June 1004. He assumed senior status in December 2017.
He is married to Cathryn C. Carr.
In the News…
Federal District Judge Roger Benitez blocked California from enforcing a law that required background checks for every ammunition purchase which was passed in a 2016 ballot initiative and went into effect in July 2019. The judge called the restrictions “onerous and convoluted” with a high rate of false-positives that violated the Second Amendment rights of Californians, as well as running afoul of the commerce clause.
“The experiment has been tried. The casualties have been counted,” Judge Benitez wrote. “California’s new ammunition background check law misfires and the Second Amendment rights of California citizens have been gravely injured.”
The ruling dealt a blow to one of the strictest gun-control measures in the country and could provide new clarity on the extent to which voters and state governments can curtail gun rights.
Contact this Leader…
Did you pray for Judge Benitez today? You can let him know at:
The Honorable Robert T. Benítez
Southern California U.S. District Court
Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse
221 West Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
