Dena M. Coggins

Dena Michaela Coggins (born 1979) is an American lawyer who has served as a judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court since 2021. She is the designate to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.

Education
Coggins received a Bachelor of Science from California State University, Sacramento in 2003 and a Juris Doctor from the McGeorge School of Law in 2006.

Career
From 2007 to 2012, she was an associate at Morrison & Foerster and also an associate at Downey Brand L.L.P. from 2012 to 2013. From 2013 to 2015 she served as a deputy legal affairs secretary for the Governor of California. Coggins was previously an administrative law judge with California's Office of Administrative Hearings, in the special education division from 2015 to 2017 and the general jurisdiction division from 2018 to 2021. Since 2021, she has served as a judge of the Sacramento County Superior Court and as presiding judge of the Juvenile Court since 2023.

Nomination to district court
On February 7, 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Coggins to serve as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. On February 8, 2024, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Biden nominated Coggins to the seat being vacated by Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, who will assume senior status on September 17, 2024. On March 6, 2024, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee. During her confirmation hearing, she was questioned by Senator John Kennedy about her work as a deputy legal affairs secretary to former Governor Jerry Brown. On April 11, 2024, her nomination was reported out of committee by a 12–9 vote. On May 22, 2024, the United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 50–44 vote. Later that day, her nomination was confirmed by a 50–44 vote. She is awaiting her judicial commission.