Thurston is working in one of eight judicial districts nationwide with crisis-level caseloads. Congress has failed to add a permanent district judgeship to the eastern district since 1978 despite it growing from 2.5 million to more than 8 million residents.
The district is also busy because it includes the state capital, a lot of public land, several prisons, big water cases and many landowner challenges of government regulations, Mueller, it chief judge, said.
Thurston knew what she was getting into and is well-prepared for the job, said Mueller, who is clearly thrilled to have a second woman serving the eastern district 12 years after she became the first. (If Biden appointee Ana de Alba of Fresno is confirmed, she will be the third.)
Thurston can multitask, is measured and brings an experienced staff, Mueller said. And she knows the district well.
“It’s a quintessential local-girl-makes-good story. She just worked her way up,” Mueller said. “Like many of us, she didn’t plan to be district judge. She didn’t even plan to be a magistrate judge. But she followed her heart, and her career organically developed into her being a perfect fit to be a district judge.”
Torres recalled attending an event where an audience member asked Eastern District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill if it matters whether a judge is appointed by a Republican or a Democrat. Thurston was there, too, he said.
“Judge O’Neill responded, ‘If the judge is honest, it doesn’t matter if the judge is appointed by someone on the right or the left, that ultimately that judge will end up in the middle,’” Torres said.
“It was such a beautiful response, it’s a response people not familiar with the federal courts need to understand. And based on what I’ve seen thus far, Judge Thurston is that honest judge. And I know that she will end up in the middle.”