A former federal prosecutor has been appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California as a magistrate judge, the court announced Monday.
Patricia Donahue, who was sworn in May 4, will sit in Los Angeles in the court’s Western Division. Donahue succeeds former U.S. Magistrate Judge Frederick F. Mumm.
Donahue served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles since 1991. As a federal prosecutor, she served as the deputy chief in the Major Crimes Section, chief of the General Crimes Section, chief of the Organized Crime and Terrorism Section and its successor, the Violent and Organized Crime Section. From 2007 until 2015 she was senior litigation counsel.
As chief of the National Security Division from its formation in July 2015 until September 2016, Donahue supervised federal prosecutors at the command post after the San Bernardino terrorist attack and assisted in oversight of the investigation and indictments. She subsequently worked as special counsel to the U.S. Attorney for Violent Crime, senior litigation counsel in the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section and as Chief of Trials, Integrity and Professionalism.
Donahue received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and a law degree from UCLA.
Including the position now occupied by Donahue, the Central District has two dozen full-time magistrate judges and a part-time position.