Oct. 23, 2026
Dato warned lawyers against courtroom fights and stretching facts
Justice William S. Dato, who has worked at every level of California's courts, brings an appellate specialist's approach to judging. The 4th District justice seeks a 12-year term Nov. 3.
When San Diego Superior Court Judge William S. Dato explained to business trial lawyers how he ran his courtroom, he had some advice: Don't fight over insignificant objections, don't turn discovery disputes into personal battles and don't stretch the facts to tell a better story.
A compelling narrative was no substitute for an accurate one, he told them, according to the Association of Business Trial Lawyers San Diego Report in 2011. A story that strayed from the recor...
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