Dale S. Fischer

Dale Susan Fischer
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 1, 2024
Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
In office
November 5, 2003 – May 1, 2024
Appointed byGeorge W. Bush
Preceded bySeat established by 116 Stat. 1758
Succeeded byMichelle Williams Court
Personal details
Born (1951-10-17) October 17, 1951 (age 73)
Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationUniversity of South Florida (BA)
Harvard University (JD)

Dale Susan Fischer (born October 17, 1951) is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California.

Early life and education

Fischer was born in Orange, New Jersey. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Florida in 1977, and her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1980.[1]

Private practice

Fischer was in private practice in California for 17 years, from 1980 to 1997, during which she also volunteer briefly for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office.[1][2] She practiced as a business litigator at the law firms Heller Ehrman and Kindel & Anderson.[3][4]

Judicial career

State judicial service

Fischer was a judge on the Los Angeles Municipal Court from 1997 to 2000, hearing criminal cases. She was then a judge on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, hearing criminal cases from 2000 to 2003.[1][4]

Federal judicial service

On May 1, 2003, Fischer was nominated by President George W. Bush to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California created by 116 Stat. 1758.[1] She was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 27, 2003, and received her commission on November 5, 2003. She assumed senior status on May 1, 2024.[1]

Notable cases

In 2008, she oversaw the case of private investigator Anthony Pellicano. Fischer sentenced Pellicano to 15 years in prison for running an illegal wiretapping operation, wiretapping billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's former wife.[5] The sentence significantly exceeded the five-year, 10-month term recommended by probation officials.[5]

In 2023 the criminal securities fraud case of Terren Peizer, the CEO and chairman of publicly traded healthcare company Ontrak, was assigned to Fischer.[6][7] After Peizer was charged with insider trading by the SEC, which alleged that he sold $20 million of Ontrak stock while he was in possession of material nonpublic negative information related to the company’s largest customer,[8][9] the U.S. Department of Justice announced criminal charges of securities fraud against Peizer, charging that thereby he had avoided $12 million in losses.[7][10][5][11][8] If convicted, Peizer could face up to 65 years in prison.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Dale S. Fischer at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
  2. ^ "CONFIRMATION HEARINGS ON FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS". govinfo.gov.
  3. ^ "ABTL Judge Interview Project: Federal District Court Judge Dale Fischer (Central District of CA)"
  4. ^ a b "Superior Court Judge Dale Fischer Nominated to U.S. District Court". metnews.com.
  5. ^ a b c Slater, Dan (16 December 2008). "Judge Fischer Goes Large, Hands Pellicano 15 Years". The Wall Street Journal.
  6. ^ Posner, Cydney S. (March 6, 2023). "DOJ and SEC bring charges for insider trading and fraudulent scheme using purported 10b5-1 plans". Lexology.
  7. ^ a b "One-time Milken associate now at centre of novel insider trading case; US authorities accuse investor of violating rules on stock sales plans for corporate executives". The Financial Times. March 20, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "SEC Charges Ontrak Chairman Terren Peizer With Insider Trading". SEC.gov. March 1, 2023.
  9. ^ "Client Alert: DOJ and SEC Used Data Analytics to Target Insider Trading with 10b5-1 Plans". JD Supra. March 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "UNITED STATES V. TERREN S. PEIZER; PENDING CRIMINAL DIVISION CASES; Court Docket: 2:23-CR-89". The United States Department of Justice. March 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. Delivers Keynote at the ABA's 38th Annual National Institute on White Collar Crime". The United States Department of Justice. March 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "Santa Monica man used anti-insider-trading measure to commit fraud: DOJ". KTLA. March 1, 2023.
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Dale S. Fischer
Legal offices
Preceded by
Seat established by 116 Stat. 1758
 Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California
2003–2024 		Succeeded by