Carlos Murguia

Early life and education

Murguia is one of seven children of Alfred and Amalia Murguia, who emigrated from Mexico in 1950. He was born in 1957 in Kansas City, Kansas. Murguia was raised in the Kansas City community of Argentine.

Murguia received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kansas in 1979, where he majored in journalism. He then earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1982.

Career

Murguia was in private practice in Kansas City from 1982 to 1987. He was a part-time hearing officer and small claims judge of the District Court of Wyandotte County, Kansas from 1984 to 1990. He was a coordinator of the Immigration Amnesty Program at El Centro, Inc. from 1985 to 1990. He was a full-time hearing officer of the Wyandotte County District Court in 1990, and a district court judge of Division 8 on the Court from 1990 to 1999.

Federal judicial service

Murguia was nominated by President Bill Clinton on March 24, 1999, to the seat on the United States District Court for the District of Kansas vacated by Sam A. Crow. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on September 8, 1999, and received his commission on September 22, 1999. Murguia is the first Latino to serve as a federal judge in Kansas.

Personal

When Murguia's younger sister, Mary H. Murguia, joined the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, they became the first brother and sister to serve on the United States federal bench. Mary Murguia has since been elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Another sister, Janet Murguia, is a noted civil rights leader who currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of La Raza.