Martin Jenkins

Martin Joseph Jenkins (born November 12, 1953) is an American attorney and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. He was previously a justice of the California Court of Appeal for the First District, located in San Francisco, and a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Early life and education

Jenkins was born in San Francisco and raised in the neighborhood of Ingleside. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from City College of San Francisco, then graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Jenkins played on the Santa Clara Broncos football team at defensive back. After college, Jenkins briefly played professional football for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. and for the United States Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division from 1983 to 1985.

Judicial service

A Democrat, Jenkins was appointed to the Alameda County Municipal Court by Republican Governor George Deukmejian in 1989.

In August 2007, Jenkins asked Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to consider him for a seat on the California Court of Appeal. On January 25, 2008, Schwarzenegger nominated Jenkins to fill the vacancy on the First District Court of Appeal created by the retirement of Justice Joanne C. Parrilli.

On November 11, 2020, Jenkins was confirmed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. The state's Commission on Judicial Appointments approved his nomination by a 3–0 vote. On December 4, 2020, Jenkins was sworn in as the newest Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.

In 2022, Jenkins ruled with a majority of the California Supreme Court in ordering University of California, Berkeley to cut its enrollment after a local NIMBY group argued that more students in the college town would have an adverse environmental impact. In the 2022 election, he was retained by California voters to continue to serve as an associate justice with 69.4% of an affirmative vote.

Jenkins retired from the bench at the end of October 2025.

Personal life Jenkins is Catholic and a member of the St. Thomas More Society of San Francisco. Jenkins is openly gay.