Danielle J. Hunsaker


Danielle Jo Hunsaker is a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Early life and career

Hunsaker earned her Associate of Applied Science from Ricks College, her Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from the University of Idaho, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law, summa cum laude, where she served as Lead Articles Editor of the Idaho Law Review. After graduating from law school, Hunsaker served as a law clerk to Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and to Judge Michael W. Mosman of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. After a brief stint in private practice, she clerked for Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Hunsaker then worked at Larkins Vacura Kayser, becoming a partner prior to her appointment to the Washington County Circuit Court in 2017.
From 2011–2016, Hunsaker taught Advanced Civil Procedure as an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark Law School.

State court service

On November 9, 2017, Governor Kate Brown announced the appointment of Hunsaker to the Washington County Circuit Court to the seat vacated by Suzanne M. Upton, effective immediately. She resigned her post when she was elevated to be a federal Circuit Court judge.

Federal judicial service

Hunsaker was one of four individuals recommended for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by Oregon's two U.S. Senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. Wyden and Merkley had both opposed Ryan Bounds, President Trump's previous nominee to the Ninth Circuit seat. On August 28, 2019, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Hunsaker to serve as a United States Circuit Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. On September 19, 2019, her nomination was sent to the United States Senate. She was nominated to fill the seat vacated by Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain who assumed senior status on December 31, 2016. On September 25, 2019, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. On October 24, 2019, her nomination was reported out of committee by a vote of 16–6. On November 5, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a vote of 75–18. On November 6, 2019, her nomination was confirmed by the full Senate by a vote of 73–17. She received her judicial commission on November 12, 2019.

Memberships

She was a member of the Federalist Society from 2002–2006 and again from 2017–present.