The Hon. Anthony J. Battaglia is a senior judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. He was nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama on February 4, 2011, and confirmed by the United States Senate on March 7, 2011, filling a vacancy created by the resignation of the Hon. M. James Lorenz. Battaglia assumed senior status on March 31, 2021.
Prior to his appointment, Battaglia was a magistrate for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, a position to which he was named in 1993. He also served as an arbitrator and judge pro tem for the San Diego County Superior Court.
Battaglia received a B.A. from Alliant International University in 1971. He went on to earn a J.D. from California Western School of Law in 1974.
After graduating from law school, Battaglia entered into private practice, working as an attorney in the Law Offices of John Marin. He remained with the firm until 1980, at which time he opened his own private practice as a sole practitioner. Then, in 1991, he was hired as a partner at Battaglia, Fitzpatrick & Battaglia. Over the course of his legal career, Battaglia handled personal injury and wrongful death claims, specializing in maritime personal injury law.
His memberships have included the San Diego County Judges Association, the San Diego County Bar Association, and the San Diego Trial Lawyers Association. He has been an advocate of the use of magistrate judges in the federal judicial system, holding assignments on the Magistrate Judge Advisory Group to the Administrative Offices of the U.S. Courts, the Executive Board of the 9th Circuit Magistrate Judges, and the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on the Magistrate Judges System. Battaglia has also been active with the Federal Bar Association, serving as a contributor to their publication on the subject of federal rules pertaining to discovery and disclosure.
Battaglia, who was born in San Diego, California, was an avid surfer at the time of his nomination to the federal bench.