Patricia Guerrero

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero is the 29th Chief Justice of California, making history as the first Latina to serve in this role. When she joined the California Supreme Court as an associate justice in March 2022, she was also the first Latina to serve on the state’s high court. As chief justice, she chairs the Commission on Judicial Appointments and the Judicial Council of California, the administrative policymaking body of the state courts. In her first State of the Judiciary address, she highlighted her commitment to a more diverse and inclusive judicial branch, as well as technology that helped preserve access to justice for Californians during the pandemic. She also adopted the Power of Democracy Civic Learning Initiative and has been active in the “Judges in the Classroom” civics program, which engages schools and encourages students to learn about the role of the judiciary. Prior to being elevated to the California Supreme Court, she served as an associate justice at the Fourth District Court of Appeals, Division One. Before her appellate appointment, she served as a judge at the Superior Court of San Diego County from 2013 to 2017 and was the supervising judge of its Family Law Division in 2017. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she worked as an associate at Latham & Watkins LLP, starting in 1997, and became an equity partner in 2006. She served as an assistant US attorney at the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California from 2002 to 2003. She attended the University of California, Berkeley as an undergraduate and earned a JD from Stanford Law School.