Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta of the Ninth Circuit passed away on December 7, 2025, at the age of 71, exactly one month after assuming senior status. ([dailyjournal.com](https://www.dailyjournal.com/article/389011-sandra-s-ikuta-1954-2025?utm_source=openai))
Born on June 24, 1954, in Los Angeles, California, Ikuta earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1976. She later obtained a Master of Science in journalism from Columbia University in 1978 and a Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law in 1988, where she was an editor of the UCLA Law Review. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))
Following her graduation, Ikuta clerked for Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski from 1988 to 1989 and for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor from 1989 to 1990. She then joined the law firm O’Melveny & Myers, becoming a partner in 1997. In 2004, she was appointed general counsel of the California Resources Agency. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))
In 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Ikuta to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, filling the seat vacated by Judge James R. Browning. She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 19, 2006, by an 81–0 vote and received her commission on June 23, 2006. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))
During her tenure, Ikuta was known for her conservative jurisprudence and authored several notable opinions. She wrote the dissent in the Ninth Circuit’s decision in Dukes v. Wal-Mart, reasoning that was largely adopted by the U.S. Supreme Court. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))
Ikuta was also an active member of The Federalist Society, a conservative and libertarian organization, and attended their national events. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))
She is survived by her husband, Edward Ikuta. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandra_Segal_Ikuta?utm_source=openai))