---
title: "Frances Tydingco-Gatewood | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/frances-tydingco-gatewood-10097"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Frances Tydingco-Gatewood

District Court of Guam · U.S. District Judge

## Profile

- Court: District Court of Guam
- State: Guam
- Role: U.S. District Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Biography

### Professional career

- Judge, District Court, D. Guam, 2006-present
- Frances Marie Tydingco‐Gatewood is an American attorney and jurist who has held the role of Chief Judge of the United States District Court of Guam since October 30, 2006
- Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Guam (2002–2006), also serving as a designated associate justice for the Northern Mariana Islands
- Trial Judge, Superior Court of Guam (1994–2002)
- Chief Prosecutor, Guam Office of the Attorney General; 1990-1994
- Assistant Prosecutor, Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, Missouri; 1988-1990
- Assistant Attorney General, Prosecution Division, Guam Office of the Attorney General; 1984-1988
- 1984–1988: First Chamoru woman Assistant Attorney General of Guam
- Law Clerk to Presiding Judge Forest W. Hanna, Jackson County Circuit Courts; 1983-1984
- First female Chamorro to serve as Chief Judge of Guam’s federal court
- Serves as both a district judge and bankruptcy judge, a rare dual role

### Education

- University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law in — J.D. (1983)
- B.A. in Political Science from Marquette University in 1980

### Additional information

- In 2024, President Joe Biden announced an intent to nominate her for another term, though no Senate hearing was scheduled
- Renominated by President Barack Obama in May 2016 for a second 10‐year term.
- Nominated by President George W. Bush on April 25, 2006, she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 3, 2006, and sworn in as Chief Judge on October 30, 2006.
- Born January 21, 1958, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Date of birth: 1958-01-21
- Also the Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the court, making her one of only two federal judges nationwide with both district and bankruptcy jurisdiction
- Recognized by the American Bar Association as “Unanimously Well Qualified” for her federal judicial service

## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/10097/frances-tydingco-gatewood/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/10097/frances-tydingco-gatewood/)
- [U.S. District Court for the District of Guam current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/10097/frances-tydingco-gatewood/)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/10097/frances-tydingco-gatewood/)
- [Honorable Frances Marie Tydingco Gatewood | Judiciary of Guam - JOG](https://guamcourts.gov/courts-council/supreme-court/justices/honorable-frances-marie-tydingco-gatewood)
- [Hon. Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, Chief Judge](https://www.gud.uscourts.gov/content/hon-frances-tydingco-gatewood-chief-judge)

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## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [District Court of Guam — general local procedure](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c53ad55968ca7a505d26b710) — Federal District Court of Guam only; not Guam territorial Superior or Supreme Court. Shared baseline only, not a judge-specific preference or complete local rules inventory. Apply source exceptions, case-type limits, later amendments and case orders. [Official source](https://www.gud.uscourts.gov/sites/gud/files/General%20Local%20Rules%2020220419%20final_0.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.