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In a courtroom where outcomes can reshape lives, Judge Leslie B. Gutierrez ensures litigants -- especially the self-represented -- grasp what's happening. Her approach blends procedural precision with compassion, informed by her upbringing in France and her tenure in Los Angeles's toughest prosecutorial units.
From a family story marked by flight from gang violence to a childhood spent absorbing Old World Sicilian values, Judge Christopher Frisco's journey to the Long Beach bench draws from tradition, discipline and a commitment to fairness he traces to his father.
LA family law judge learned the practice by watching court cases
After a grueling journey to one of the most isolated places on Earth, Commissioner Juan M. Valles II returned with a lesson he brings to the dependency bench every day: Communities thrive only when everyone contributes. Those who practice before him say that philosophy shapes a calm, collaborative courtroom.
Sacramento County Judge Jaya Badiga's non-traditional path through domestic-violence work, family law practice, and public service shapes her approach on the bench, where attorneys praise her demeanor, expertise and commitment to fair, trauma-informed judging.
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(Not for printing or reuse)| Jurist | Court | Published |
|---|---|---|
| Sumako McCallum | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Nov. 14, 2025 |
| Laura J. Birkmeyer | San Diego County Superior Court | Nov. 11, 2025 |
| Damaris Diaz | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Nov. 7, 2025 |
| Magdalena Cohen | Riverside County Superior Court | Nov. 4, 2025 |
| Steven E. Ipson | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 31, 2025 |
| Syna N. Dennis | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 28, 2025 |
| Victor Avila | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 22, 2025 |
| David J. Cowan | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 21, 2025 |
| Charlaine F. Olmedo | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 16, 2025 |
| Francisco Navarro | Riverside County Superior Court | Oct. 9, 2025 |
| Elizabeth L. Bradley | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Oct. 7, 2025 |
| Christopher B. Harmon | Riverside County Superior Court | Oct. 3, 2025 |
| Shama Hakim Mesiwala | California Courts of Appeal --3rd Appellate District | Sep. 29, 2025 |
| Matthew C. Perantoni | Riverside County Superior Court | Sep. 25, 2025 |
| Jason Armand | Riverside County Superior Court | Sep. 22, 2025 |
| Amy Goldman | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Sep. 19, 2025 |
| Kelly Babineau | Nevada County Superior Court | Sep. 18, 2025 |
| Edward B. Moreton Jr. | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Sep. 12, 2025 |
| Sean D. Coen | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Sep. 4, 2025 |
| Michael O'Gara | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 28, 2025 |
| Danette Castillo Brown | Yolo County Superior Court | Aug. 27, 2025 |
| Kendra Thomas | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 25, 2025 |
| Melanie P. Ochoa | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 22, 2025 |
| William Sadler | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 19, 2025 |
| Shauna A. Franklin | Sacramento County Superior Court | Aug. 18, 2025 |
| Pamela Adeles Davis | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 15, 2025 |
| Hayden A. Zacky | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 13, 2025 |
| Hector E. Gutierrez | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 11, 2025 |
| Sonia Dujan | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 6, 2025 |
| Connie R. Quiñones | Los Angeles County Superior Court | Aug. 4, 2025 |