Education
William Jewell College. Harvard Law School.
William Jewell College. Harvard Law School.
Born in Saint Louis, Missouri, Staton earned a bachelor"s degree in 1983 from William Jewell College and a law degree in 1986 from Harvard Law School. From 1986 until 1987, Staton was a law clerk for Judge John R. Gibson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. From 1987 until 2002, Staton was an attorney with the San Francisco office of the law firm Morrison & Foerster, first as an associate (1987–1994) and then as a partner (1995–2002).
In 2002, Staton became a Superior Court judge in Orange County, California, based in Santa Ana.
She was appointed to the position by Governor Gray Davis to fill the vacancy created when Judge Richard Doctorate. Fybel was elevated to the California Court of Appeal in Orange County. In March 2009, Staton applied for a California federal district court vacancy.
After Staton interviewed with officials from the United States Department of Justice and the Office of White House Counsel, on February 4, 2010, President Obama nominated her to fill the vacancy in the Central District created by Judge Alicemarie Stotler taking senior status in January 2009. On March 18, 2010, the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary reported Staton"s nomination to the full Senate, which confirmed Staton on June 21, 2010 in a voice vote.
She received her commission on June 22, 2010.