United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Seng (MJS)

  Federal Judicial Service:

U. S. District Court, Eastern District of California
Appointed United States Magistrate Judge on April 2, 2010

Education:
University of Tennessee School of Business, B.A., 1969
University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 1975

Professional Career:

1971-1973
United States Army

1975-1978
Staff Attorney, U.S. DHEW, SSA, OHA, Fresno, CA

1978-2008
Civil Litigation (attorney/partner/director), Blumberg, Sherr & Kerkorian (and its successors); Farley, Seng, DeSantos & Green; and Seng & Stratton, Fresno, CA

2008-2010
U.S. Administrative Law Judge, Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, Sacramento

Biography:

Michael J. Seng was appointed a Magistrate Judge on April 2, 2010, after having practiced as a civil litigator for thirty years and then as a Federal Administrative Law Judge for two years. In his four years on the Eastern District Court bench he has presided over multiple civil jury trials and several criminal court trials and decided many case-dispositive motions while also tackling and resolving complex constitutional and habeas corpus issues.

From 1978 until 2008 Judge Seng practiced as a partner in three successive Fresno firms bearing his name.    He represented both plaintiffs and defendants. His practice focused on litigation and trial of complex business, banking, professional liability, crop loss and personal injury litigation. The “case-within-a-case” nature of his legal malpractice practice necessitated his gaining broadly diverse  expertise in many different legal fields. He also served as a Judge Pro Temp, Mediator and Arbitrator for the Fresno County Superior Court.

While serving as an Administrative Law Judge with the Sacramento Office of Disability Adjudication and Review from early 2008 until spring 2010, Judge Seng adjudicated approximately 1000 medical/disability cases.

Judge Seng previously served as an Adjunct Professor of Professional Responsibility at the San Joaquin College of Law and taught Civil Procedure to paralegals at the College. He has lectured and written extensively on professional liability issues. He has served as a California State Bar Court Probation Monitor and as Special Counsel (Prosecutor) with the State Bar Court.

Judge Seng is a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Business (1969) and the University of Tennessee College of Law (1975). He served in the United States Army from 1971 to 1973.

Parties are invited to present their motions and cases to Judge Seng in the Fresno courthouse or, at the litigants’ option, in our unique and very accommodating Yosemite Valley courthouse.