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Dec. 9, 2025

Judge Heather Hocter returns to her first courtroom with a philosophy shaped by the backcountry

From backcountry maps to misdemeanor calendars, Judge Heather Hocter uses a trail-honed approach to bring structure, fairness and calm to one of Los Angeles County's busiest courtrooms.

Read more about Heather M. Hocter...
Judge Heather Hocter returns to her first courtroom with a philosophy shaped by the backcountry

Heather M. Hocter

Los Angeles County Superior Court

Career Highlights: ppointed Los Angeles County Superior Court judge by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oct. 9, 2024; deputy alternate public defender, Los Angeles, 2017-2024; deputy public defender, Los Angeles, 2006-2017

Law School: Southwestern Law School, 2006
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LANCASTER - Inside Superior Court Judge Heather M. Hocter's chambers, the wilderness hangs on the walls. A bristlecone pine, its bark carved by thousands of years of wind, leans into the pale gray Eastern Sierra sky. Bryce Canyon in Utah glows red and gold. A pass above Mammoth Lakes cuts out a sharp angle of granite. In one frame, Hocter stands under a mosquito net -- "I was suffering that day," she joked -- at the top of Duck Pass.

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