U.S. District Judge Jasmine Yoon of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

10/04/2024

U.S. District Judge Jasmine Yoon

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia

Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse 

255 W. Main Street, Room 304

Charlottesville, VA  22902

Dear U.S. District Judge Yoon, 

My name is Matt Winick, an Asian American from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in learning history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. In these subjects, I like to learn the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. U.S. District Judge Yoon, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work when you served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. 

When you served as served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia from 2010-2016, I truly appreciated on how you were a strong supporter of civil rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, prosecuting people who commit hate crimes to help protect minorities including people who are different, and investigating public places that practice different forms of discrimination. Supporting drug treatment programs to help drug users get the care they need to reduce drug abuse, expanding on resources to help victims of crime or victims of domestic violence get the help on dealing with their trauma,  and advocating with pushing for funds to improve DNA testing including forensic science to help solve evidence including cases efficiently while reduce sending an innocent person to jail is common sense for criminal justice reform.  Also on criminal justice reform, I like on how you work to implement wrongful conviction unit to investigate cases that had wrongfully convicted people of a crime that they didn’t commit including prosecution misconduct or judicial misconduct, created an educational awareness to help educate people including the Office of the U.S. Attorney about mental health, advocated for community policing to help law enforcement engage with the community to improve relations,  and supported community service for non-violent offenders or non violent juveniles get rehabilitation to reduce re-offending.  Another thing that I liked about your work as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia  was  how you implement strategies to help provide people with mental health to get help instead of strict sentencing, prosecuted after public officials who are corrupt or accepted illegal bribes, went after industries that illegally polluted the environment or violated environmental protection laws, addressing the need to hold law enforcement officers accountable when they do misconduct or use illegal tactics on innocent people, heavily advocate for better voter protection laws to help protect people from losing their right to vote, and take away weapons from people who have a domestic violence record.   In 2024, I was amazed on how you made history on becoming the first Korean American woman and the first Asian American to become a U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. In your current role as U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, I like on how you are a continuous strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and criminal justice reform. Another thing that I like about your work in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia is how you continue to support protection of civil liberties like the 4^th amendment to help protect people from unreasonable searches.

U.S. District Judge Yoon, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advanced subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts in different settings including social settings, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. Also being an Asian American with a disability is a challenge when some Asians and some Asian Americans get judgmental about me being different along with not meeting their standards.  Your role as Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and as current U.S. District Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia helps give me motivation to continue to learn history, social justice, and criminal justice reform. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to help emphasize the need for civil rights to be stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference. I’m very proud on how you are working hard to support civil rights including people with disabilities’ rights and expand while advocate for criminal justice reform. You truly inspire me to work hard on my disability, learn about your work, be confident about being an Asian American with a disability when there are challenges, and continue to learn different subjects. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, working hard to make a great difference, and inspiring me. Please continue to make a great difference for society.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick