Judge James Ashford was sworn in as a First Circuit Court Judge on April 24, 2018. He initially was appointed to the District Court of the First Circuit on September 30, 2013.  Prior to becoming a district court judge, he was a partner with the law firm of Cades Schutte LLP.  Judge Ashford received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Claremont McKenna College in 1984 and a law degree from Loyola Law School in 1988.