Ninth Circuit Appoints Jamie P. Dreher as Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of California
N E W S R E L E A S E
Sept. 17, 2026
Contact: Katherine Rodriguez
mediarelease@ce9.uscourts.gov
SAN FRANCISCO — Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have appointed Jamie P. Dreher as a bankruptcy judge to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California. Judge Dreher began his 14-year term today, September 17, when Chief Bankruptcy Judge Christopher D. Jaime of the Eastern District of California administered the oath of office. Judge Dreher maintains his chambers in Sacramento.
“I am pleased to welcome Judge Dreher to the bankruptcy bench in our Sacramento division. His depth of bankruptcy knowledge, his strong litigation background, and his commitment to the bankruptcy community make him an excellent addition to our court,” said Judge Jaime.
“I would like to thank the Circuit and the local bankruptcy community for their support and trust. I am looking forward to continuing the tradition set in the Eastern District Bankruptcy Courts for fairness, ensured access to justice, and the efficient administration of the bankruptcy system and cases,” said Judge Dreher.
Before his appointment to the bench, Judge Dreher was a partner since 2008 at Downey Brand LLP, where he led the bankruptcy and commercial law group for the firm’s Sacramento office, and held leadership positions including as the firm’s pro bono partner and chair of the Litigation Department. He joined the firm as an associate in 2003. From 2008 to 2026, Judge Dreher was a resolution advocate for the Bankruptcy Dispute Resolution Program of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California and has also served as a Ninth Circuit lawyer representative from 2015 to 2018.
Judge Dreher graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 1996 and earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the California Western School of Law in 2000. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Christopher M. Klein in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division, from 2001 to 2003.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California reported 12,830 bankruptcy filings in calendar year 2025, up 20.2% from CY 2024. The court is authorized six permanent judgeships.
Judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit have statutory responsibility for selecting and appointing bankruptcy judges in the nine western states that comprise the 9th Circuit. The court uses a comprehensive merit selection process for the initial appointment and for reappointments. Bankruptcy judges serve a 14-year renewable term and handle all bankruptcy-related matters under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
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