Los Angeles County Superior Court

The family immigrated to the United States, trading the danger they knew for the uncertainty of starting over. Her father left behind a respected legal career, but he wasn't ready to give it up.

San Diego County Superior Court

San Diego commissioner knows the intensity family court carries

San Diego County Superior Court

Judge Sharon Kalemkiarian invites children to speak in her San Diego family law courtroom, using quilts and photos to create a warm, calming environment for young witnesses.

A former toxic tort litigator and longtime partner at Steptoe & Johnson, Superior Court Judge Lawrence P. Riff handles some of Los Angeles County's most high-profile and consequential cases ranging from bail reform and wildfire insurance disputes to defective products and social media liability. Respected for his courtroom control, intellectual rigor, and willingness to explore nuance, Riff believes the decline of trials has eroded litigation skills and increased discovery conflicts--problems he's tackling through new legal workshops. 

San Diego County Superior Court

Before she took the bench, Superior Court Judge Rebecca G. Church was already preserving legal history--resurrecting the forgotten legacy of San Diego's first woman assistant U.S. attorney. Now, from her courtroom in downtown San Diego, Church draws on that sense of duty and perspective to navigate the emotionally charged terrain of family law, where the stakes are personal and the path to justice is rarely simple.