Danielle Jo Forrest

Danielle Jo Forrest (born 1977) serves as an active United States circuit judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Appointed by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed in 2019, she previously held a seat on Oregon’s Washington County Circuit Court and accumulated extensive experience in private practice, federal clerkships, and legal academia before joining the federal appellate bench.

Early life and legal career

Forrest was born in Roseburg, Oregon, in 1977. She began her post‑secondary education at Ricks College—now Brigham Young University–Idaho—where she earned an Associate of Science degree in 1996. Continuing her studies in Idaho, she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Idaho in 2001. She remained at the same institution for law school, serving as lead articles editor of the Idaho Law Review and graduating summa cum laude with a Juris Doctor in 2004.

Following graduation, Forrest entered federal judicial service as a clerk for Judge Paul Joseph Kelly Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (2004‑2005). She subsequently clerked for Judge Michael W. Mosman of the United States District Court for the District of Oregon from 2005 to 2007, gaining experience in both appellate and trial‑level federal practice.

From 2007 to 2009 Forrest practiced law with Stoel Rives in Portland, Oregon. During this period she also completed a brief clerkship with Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain of the Ninth Circuit in 2008, further deepening her exposure to appellate jurisprudence. In 2009 she joined the Portland firm Larkins Vacura Kayser, where she practiced for eight years and achieved partnership status in 2014. Her practice focused on civil litigation and related matters.

In parallel with her private‑practice work, Forrest contributed to legal education as an adjunct professor at Lewis & Clark Law School from 2011 through 2016, teaching advanced courses in civil procedure. This academic role complemented her practical experience and reflected a sustained engagement with the development of future lawyers.

Forrest’s first judicial appointment came on November 9 2017, when Oregon Governor Kate Brown selected her to fill a vacancy on the Washington County Circuit Court created by the departure of Judge Suzanne M. Upton. She assumed the state‑court bench immediately and served until her elevation to the federal appellate court in late 2019.

Federal appellate service

The Ninth Circuit seat that Forrest ultimately filled had been vacant since Judge Diarmuid O’Scannlain took senior status at the end of 2016. After a prior nominee, Ryan Bounds, was not confirmed, both Oregon senators—Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley—identified Forrest as one of four candidates to recommend for the position. Although the senators had opposed the earlier nomination, they submitted their blue slips in support of Forrest’s candidacy.

President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate Forrest on August 28 2019. The formal nomination was transmitted to the Senate on September 19 2019. A hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee took place on September 25 2019, after which the committee reported her nomination favorably by a vote of 16‑6 on October 24 2019.

The full Senate considered the nomination in November. Cloture was invoked on November 5 with a vote of 75‑18, limiting further debate. The confirmation vote followed on November 6 and resulted in a 73‑17 approval. Forrest received her commission on November 12 2019 and entered active service on the Ninth Circuit. Court records show that her surname changed from Hunsaker to Forrest in May 2021.

In addition to her judicial duties, Forrest has been affiliated with the Federalist Society, first as a member from 2002 to 2006 and again beginning in 2017, reflecting an ongoing involvement with professional legal organizations.

Jurisprudence and legacy

Since joining the Ninth Circuit, Judge Forrest has participated in a range of decisions that illustrate her approach to appellate review. On February 19 2025, she was one of three judges who declined to stay a district‑court injunction that blocked the Trump administration’s effort to terminate birthright citizenship. In a separate concurring opinion, she emphasized the limited time remaining for the case and argued that maintaining the injunction was appropriate under those circumstances.

Later that year, on July 23 2025, Judge Forrest authored the majority opinion in *Yuga Labs Inc. v. Ripps*. The panel reversed a prior summary judgment that had awarded Yuga Labs $9 million in a trademark dispute involving non‑fungible tokens (NFTs). The Ninth Circuit held that the plaintiff had not demonstrated sufficient likelihood of consumer confusion caused by the defendants, and consequently remanded the matter for further proceedings.

These opinions demonstrate Forrest’s engagement with both constitutional questions and emerging areas of technology law. Her decisions have contributed to the development of legal standards governing citizenship rights and intellectual‑property disputes in the digital sphere.

Judge Forrest’s career trajectory—from clerkships and private practice through state‑court service to a federal appellate appointment—exemplifies a blend of practical litigation experience, academic involvement, and judicial responsibility. While her tenure on the Ninth Circuit is still ongoing, the cases she has addressed and the procedural positions she has taken provide early indicators of her influence within the federal judiciary.