John A. Houston at a glance
- Current role
- Senior District Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- Jurisdiction
- California · Federal
- Judicial service
- October 7, 2003–present
John A. Houston
Senior District Judge · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Available research
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Biography
Professional career
- U.S. Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, 1998-2003
- senior financial litigation counsel, 1996-1998
- senior counsel for asset forfeiture, 1994-1996
- chief, Asset Forfeiture Unit, 1987-1994
- Assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of California, 1981-1998
- U.S. Army Reserve, 1981-present
- U.S. Army, JAG Corps, 1978-1981
- U.S. Army Reserve, 1974-1978
Judicial service
- Judge, District Court, S.D. California, 2003-present
Education
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- University of Miami School of Law
Personal record
Born 1952 · Greensboro, NC
Courtroom rules and guidance
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked August 16, 2026
https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges.aspxCourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/1525/john-a-houston/Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts