Appointed by George H. W. Bush Succeeded by Lucy H. Koh Role Judge | Name Ronald Whyte Preceded by New seat | |
Born October 25, 1942 (age 82)
Pomona, California, U.S. ( 1942-10-25 ) Alma mater Wesleyan University (A.B.)
USC Gould School of Law (J.D.) Education Wesleyan University, USC Gould School of Law | ||
The honorable ronald m whyte symposium lunch conversation with judge whyte
Ronald M. Whyte (born October 25, 1942) is a Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose, California.
Contents
- The honorable ronald m whyte symposium lunch conversation with judge whyte
- The honorable ronald m whyte symposium nd cal district judges
- Education and career
- Judicial Service
- Patent Rules
- Selected Accolades
- References
The honorable ronald m whyte symposium nd cal district judges
Education and career
Born in Pomona, California, Whyte earned an Artium Baccalaureus degree in Mathematics from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1964, and a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law in Los Angeles, California in 1967. Whyte was in private practice from 1967 to 1968 in Claremont, California. He then served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1971 as part of the Judge Advocate General Corps. He returned to private practice from 1971 to 1989, working at Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel Inc. in San Jose, California. In 1989, Governor George Deukmejian appointed him a Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge.
Judicial Service
On July 26, 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Whyte to new seat on the United States District Court for the Northern District of California created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 6, 1992, and received his commission on March 2, 1992. He assumed senior status on March 2, 2009. He assumed inactive status on November 1, 2016.
Patent Rules
Judge Whyte originated and led the development of the Northern District of California's Local Patent Rules, which have been adopted by district courts across the country. Judge Whyte also led the development of model jury instructions - including patent jury instructions - and protective orders. Stanford Law Professor Mark Lemley has also called Judge Whyte "the Dean of the Silicon Valley bench."
Judge Whyte's professional activities include serving on the Dean of Santa Clara Law School’s High Tech Advisory Council (2001–present), the Executive Committee Santa Clara Inn of Court (1992-2013; President 1997-1998), the Patent Rules Committee for the Northern District of California (1996–present); Patent Jury Instruction Committee for the Northern District of California (2000–present); and Member of the National Jury Instruction Project (2008-2009).
Judge Whyte has also sat by designation on panels of both the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and has authored published opinions in both courts.