Thomas J. Whelan 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 22, 1998–present
Thomas J. Whelan
Senior District Judge · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Available research
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Biography
Professional career
- Professional Career: Deputy district attorney, San Diego, California, 1969-1989
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1990-1998
- Deputy district attorney, San Diego, CA, 1969-1989
- Contracts administrator, planner, and estimator, General Dynamics Corp., 1961-1969
Judicial service
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 1990-1998
- Judge, District Court, S.D. California, 1998-2010
Education
- San Diego School of Law (now University of San Diego School of Law) · J.D., 1965
- San Diego College for Men (now University of San Diego) · B.A., 1961
Personal record
Born 1940 · San Diego, CA
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/3442/thomas-j-whelan/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