This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Jul. 8, 2025

Commissioner Michelle Lim balances firmness with empathy in her unlawful detainer court

Lim understands how destabilizing eviction proceedings can be and draws on her family's history to guide her approach. Her grandfather, nearly interned during World War II after being mistaken for Japanese, instilled in her a deep reverence for kindness--a value that continues to shape her work on the bench.

Read more about Michelle D. Lim...
Commissioner Michelle Lim balances firmness with empathy in her unlawful detainer court
Los Angeles County Superior Court

Career Highlights: Appointed commissioner, Los Angeles County Superior Court, July 2023; director of training, criminal and special litigation branches, lead training attorney, assistant training attorney, assistant supervisor, deputy city attorney, volunteer city attorney, Los Angeles, 1993-2023

Law School: Loyola Law School, 1992

LANCASTER - Presiding over unlawful detainer cases in the Antelope Valley, Commissioner Michelle D. Lim blends structure with empathy. Her well-paced courtroom leaves space for what she values most.

"I enjoy the jury trial aspect, making the rulings on evidentiary hearings -- that's second nature to me," said the commissioner, who is a former deputy Los Angeles city attorney.

Unlawful detainer trials are fast-paced--often lasting just three to f... (continued)

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$795 for an entire year!

Or access this Judicial Profile for $85
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this Judicial Profile. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)

Already a subscriber?

Enewsletter Sign-up