Who is Amit P Mehta? Obama-appointed Indian-origin judge to oversee Google antitrust trial

Amit P. Mehta, an Indian-origin judge appointed by former US President Barack Obama, will preside over the highly anticipated and massive antitrust trial involving Google. The trial is centered on allegations by US Department of Justice (DOJ) and several American states that Google employed illegal business practices to solidify the dominance of its search engine.

The trial is set to kick off on Tuesday (September 12) and isexpected to span 10weeks.

It represents the first time Judge Mehta is overseeing a tech policy-focused case of this nature since his appointment to the US District Court for the District of Columbia in December 2014.

His selection for the case against Google parent company Alphabet was random, as per media reports.

India connection

Born in the western Indian state of Gujarat in 1971, Mehta moved to the US with his parents at the age of one, eventually receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from Georgetown University before pursuing a law degree.

He made history as the first Asian-Pacific American to be sworn into the USDistrict Court for the District of Columbia.

Legal career

Mehta's legal career began in 1997 after graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law.

He worked at law firms like Latham & Watkins and Zuckerman Spaeder LLP, representing high-profile clients in white-collar criminal prosecutions and investigations.

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His experience includes serving as the attorney for former RepresentativeTom Feeney (R-Fla.) and helping former International Monetary Fund President Dominique Strauss-Kahn defeat criminal assault charges in New York state court.

Passion for hip-hop music

Judge Mehta has displayed a passion for hip-hop music throughout his career.

In various rulings, he demonstrated his knowledge of hip-hop music and lyrics.

He mentioned his favorite musical artists, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, and Eminem, in a 2015 opinion. Additionally, he quoted lyrics from Beyoncé's song "Sorry" in a 2018 opinion.

Judge Mehta's previous rulings

Judge Mehta has previously ruled on significant cases, including those related to the January 6 Capitol riot. He denied former President Donald Trump's attempt to dismiss civil lawsuits holding him accountable for inciting the riot.

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“To deny a President immunity from civil damages is no small step,” Mehta wrote in a 112-page ruling adding, “The court well understands the gravity of its decision. But the alleged facts of this case are without precedent, and the court believes that its decision is consistent with the purposes behind such immunity.”

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He also ruled that Trump could be sued for his role in inciting the riot because his "Stop the Steal" speech was not an official presidential act.

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