Who is Moxila Upadhyaya, the Indian-American judge who presided over Trump's 6 January case?

Former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to criminal charges accusing him of attempting to change the outcome of the 2020 US presidential election and deceive American voters. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya read from the 45-page indictment presented by special counsel Jack Smith the four criminal offences and the potential maximum jail sentences Trump might face. “As to counts one to four, how does Trump plead?” Judge Upadhyaya asked Trump as he stood at the defence table, flanked by his lawyers, according to published accounts of the arraignment. “ Not guilty,” he answered, raising his head. The proceedings lasted about 30 minutes in the same courtroom where hundreds of former president’s supporters were sentenced for their roles in the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, 2021. [caption id=“attachment_12956322” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Former US President Donald Trump stands next to his attorney John Lauro as he takes an oath before Magistrate Judge Moxila A Upadhyaya during his plea hearing on charges that he orchestrated a plot to try to overturn his 2020 election loss, at federal court in Washington, US. Reuters[/caption] Moxila Upadhyaya set the next hearing for 28 August, which will take place in the court of District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over the eventual trial. But what do we know about Moxila Upadhyaya, the Indian-American judge who presided over the case. Born in Gujarat, appointed as US Magistrate Judge Moxila A Upadhyaya was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge on 7 September, 2022. She was appointed last year and has presided over cases for multiple defendants on 6 January at the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington. She worked as a complex commercial litigation lawyer and as a law clerk for justices on the United States District Court in Washington and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit before being appointed to the bench. Born in Gujarat and raised near Kansas City, Missouri, Upadhyaya received her Bachelor of Journalism, magna cum laude, from the Missouri School of Journalism and Bachelor of Arts, with honours in Latin, from the University of Missouri. She received her JD, cum laude, from the American University, Washington College of Law, where she earned distinction for her trial work representing clients in the Criminal Justice Clinic and was a member of the Administrative Law Review. [caption id=“attachment_12956342” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Judge Upadhyaya was appointed last year and has presided over cases for multiple defendants on 6 January at the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington. Image Courtesy: @Wyntre999/Twitter[/caption] After graduating from law school, Upadhyaya served a two-year term as a law clerk to Eric T Washington, former Chief Judge of the DC Court of Appeals. She then joined Venable LLP’s Washington, DC office, where she practised complex commercial and administrative litigation. She left Venable in 2011-12 to serve as the first law clerk to Robert L Wilkins (currently the US Circuit Judge for the DC Circuit) during his tenure as a district judge in this court. Upadhyaya then rejoined Venable after her clerkship with Judge Wilkins and continued her litigation practice until her appointment to the bench. During her time as an associate and ultimately partner at Venable, according to her resume, Upadhyaya devoted her pro bono practice to representing indigent clients in post-conviction proceedings, including representing clients who raised challenges under the DC Innocence Protection Act and the DC Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act. For her work in this capacity, the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project awarded Judge Upadhyaya its Defender of Innocence Award in 2009 and Venable named her Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2006. From 2021-22, Judge Upadhyaya was appointed to serve on this court’s Committee on Grievances. She is the former co-chair of the DC Bar Litigation Section Steering Committee and has served on the board of directors for the DC Access to Justice Foundation and Council for Court Excellence. She is also a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. With inputs from PTI