--- title: "David Estudillo | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # David Estudillo U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington - State: Washington - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - David G. Estudillo is the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, appointed by President Joe Biden in 2021 and confirmed by the Senate in 2021, becoming chief judge in 2022 - In 2015, Washington Governor Jay Inslee appointed him Judge of the Grant County Superior Court, a role he held until his elevation to the federal bench in 2021 - Judge, Superior Court of the State of Washington, Grant County, 2015-2021 - At the time of his appointment, he was the only Latino judge in Eastern Washington serving in a superior, district, or municipal court - His judicial career spans private practice, state court service, and now federal judiciary leadership ### Education - University of Washington School of Law in — J.D. (1999) - University of Washington in — B.A. (1996) - Columbia Basin Community College — 1993 ### Additional information - He became Chief Judge on September 3, 2022, succeeding Ricardo S. Martinez. - Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: June 9, 2021 - Commission issued: October 7, 2021 - Sworn in: October 15, 2021 - Reported out of committee: July 15, 2021 (15–7 vote) - Senate confirmation: September 14, 2021 (54–41 vote) - On April 29, 2021, President Biden nominated Estudillo to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, replacing Ronald B. Leighton, who had taken senior status in 2019. - Private practice, Moses Lake, Washington, 2005-2015 - He later practiced solo in Moses Lake, WA, from 2005 to 2015, specializing in immigration law and civil litigation. - Private practice, Seattle, Washington, 2002-2005 - Began his legal career in Wenatchee, WA, at Jeffers, Danielson, Sonn & Aylward (1999–2002), then worked in Seattle at Scheer and Zehnder (2002–2005) focusing on complex civil litigation. - Private practice, Wenatchee, Washington, 1999-2002 - Date of birth: 1974 - David Gonzalez Estudillo was born in 1973 in Sunnyside, Washington, where his parents owned a small grocery store. - held the role of the only Latino judge in Eastern Washington’s superior courts during his state judicial tenure. - Birth place: Sunnyside ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10719696) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10719696) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10719696) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Judge David Estudillo](https://www.fjc.gov/node/10719696) - [Wikidata: David Estudillo](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106648119) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo", "name": "David Estudillo | KnowJudges", "description": "David Estudillo, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo#judge", "name": "David Estudillo", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo", "jobTitle": "Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.fjc.gov/node/10719696" ], "birthDate": "1974", "birthPlace": "Sunnyside", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Columbia Basin Community College" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Washington" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Washington School of Law" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Washington", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/washington" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Estudillo", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/david-estudillo" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 200 | 26 | 1.4 | 26 | | 2y | 395 | 124 | 2.6 | 124 | | 5y | 838 | 531 | 4.1 | 531 | | 10y | 838 | 531 | 4.1 | 531 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.