Frances Tydingco-Gatewood

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Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood (born January 21, 1958) is an American judge who has served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Guam since 2006. She is one of the few judges in the federal system who also serves as a bankruptcy judge.

Early life and education
She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii Territory. She attended George Washington High School in Mangilao, Guam, then earned a BA in political science from Marquette University in 1980 and a JD from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law in 1983.

Career path
She began her legal career as a law clerk in Missouri (1983–1984). She became Guam’s first female Chamoru assistant Attorney General (1984–1988). She then worked as an assistant prosecutor in Jackson County, Missouri (1988–1990), leading the Drug Team and Homicide Unit. She returned to Guam as chief prosecutor for the District of Guam (1990–1994). In 1994, Governor Torpedo Ada appointed her as a trial judge of the Superior Court of Guam. In 2001, Governor Carl Gutierrez appointed her as an associate justice of the Guam Supreme Court, and she was sworn in on February 8, 2002, serving until 2006.

U.S. federal judgeship
President George W. Bush nominated her to the District Court of Guam on April 25, 2006. She was confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 2006, and took office on October 30, 2006. She is notable for serving both as a district judge and a bankruptcy judge.

Later developments
She was renominated by President Barack Obama on May 18, 2016, for another 10-year term. Her 2017 nomination was returned to the president at the end of the 114th Congress, and she continued to serve as a holdover judge. In 2024, President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate her for another 10-year term, but the nomination was not sent to the Senate before Biden left office.