Gonzalo C. Martinez
CA · Presiding Justice, California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Seven
Martinez is the presiding justice of Division Seven in California's Second District Court of Appeal. He previously served as a deputy solicitor general and deputy judicial appointments secretary and practiced appellate law.
Where Gonzalo C. Martinez stands, based on their records
Supports
Civil Rights (12 records)
Opposes
Public Safety and Crime Control (3 records)
Campaign finance information not available
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 3 oppose
Joined People v. Tzul, reversing murder convictions because exclusion of a contemporaneous note prejudiced the defense and forced the defendant to testify.
March 23, 2026Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Craig, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the trial court used an incorrect legal standard.
January 15, 2026Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Grajeda, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the defendant was denied an opportunity to consult counsel.
June 3, 2025Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 12 support
Joined City of Los Angeles v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, affirming employee-relations and fee rulings in a pension-reciprocity dispute.
August 28, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Aud v. RRT Enterprises, restoring a jury's noneconomic-damages award in a nursing-home negligence case.
July 22, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Tzul, reversing murder convictions because exclusion of a contemporaneous note prejudiced the defense and forced the defendant to testify.
March 23, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Craig, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the trial court used an incorrect legal standard.
January 15, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined In re Hunter V., reversing dependency orders after the father received no notice of materially amended allegations and was denied his right to attend.
July 30, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Grajeda, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the defendant was denied an opportunity to consult counsel.
June 3, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined In re Gilberto G., reversing dependency findings because the evidence did not show the mother was unable to care for her children.
June 10, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Miyahara v. Wells Fargo Bank, allowing a homeowner to amend claims after judicial estoppel was applied at the pleading stage.
February 9, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Campbell v. FPI Management, recognizing unfair-competition standing for low-income tenants served legally deficient termination notices.
January 18, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Sepanossian v. National Ready Mix, reviving an unfair-competition claim over unavoidable energy and environmental fees.
November 15, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Hansen v. Volkov, reversing a civil-harassment restraining order based largely on constitutionally protected litigation activity.
September 18, 2023Supports Civil Rights
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Served on the Hispanic National Bar Association's national board of governors and in local bar leadership roles.
January 1, 2015Supports Civil Rights
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Joined L.A. County Employees Retirement Association v. County of L.A., recognizing retirement boards' authority to set staff classifications and salaries.
June 24, 2024
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Won unanimous confirmation as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven.
May 14, 2024
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom nominated him as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven.
March 12, 2024
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Won unanimous confirmation as a Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven associate justice.
July 10, 2023
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Governor Gavin Newsom nominated him as a Second District Court of Appeal associate justice.
March 30, 2023
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Advised the Governor's Office on nearly 400 judicial appointments across California.
January 1, 2019
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as Governor Gavin Newsom's deputy judicial appointments secretary from 2019 through 2023.
January 1, 2019
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as a California deputy solicitor general from 2017 through 2019, representing the state in significant civil and criminal matters.
January 1, 2017
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served on the Hispanic National Bar Association's national board of governors and in local bar leadership roles.
January 1, 2015
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as an appellate and district-court lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.
January 1, 2010
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Joined Geringer v. Blue Rider Finance, reversing attorney disqualification because the record did not show prejudice or injury to the judicial process.
August 22, 2023Favorable on Impartiality
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 26 favorable
Joined City of Los Angeles v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, affirming employee-relations and fee rulings in a pension-reciprocity dispute.
August 28, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Aud v. RRT Enterprises, restoring a jury's noneconomic-damages award in a nursing-home negligence case.
July 22, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Tzul, reversing murder convictions because exclusion of a contemporaneous note prejudiced the defense and forced the defendant to testify.
March 23, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Craig, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the trial court used an incorrect legal standard.
January 15, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined In re Hunter V., reversing dependency orders after the father received no notice of materially amended allegations and was denied his right to attend.
July 30, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined People v. Grajeda, ordering a new resentencing hearing after the defendant was denied an opportunity to consult counsel.
June 3, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined L.A. County Employees Retirement Association v. County of L.A., recognizing retirement boards' authority to set staff classifications and salaries.
June 24, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined In re Gilberto G., reversing dependency findings because the evidence did not show the mother was unable to care for her children.
June 10, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Won unanimous confirmation as presiding justice of the Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven.
May 14, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Miyahara v. Wells Fargo Bank, allowing a homeowner to amend claims after judicial estoppel was applied at the pleading stage.
February 9, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Campbell v. FPI Management, recognizing unfair-competition standing for low-income tenants served legally deficient termination notices.
January 18, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Authored Sepanossian v. National Ready Mix, reviving an unfair-competition claim over unavoidable energy and environmental fees.
November 15, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined JRK Property Holdings v. Colony Insurance, preserving pandemic-loss coverage claims where pollution exclusions did not clearly reach ordinary viral spread.
October 2, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Hansen v. Volkov, reversing a civil-harassment restraining order based largely on constitutionally protected litigation activity.
September 18, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Geringer v. Blue Rider Finance, reversing attorney disqualification because the record did not show prejudice or injury to the judicial process.
August 22, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Won unanimous confirmation as a Second District Court of Appeal, Division Seven associate justice.
July 10, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Returned to Squire Patton Boggs as an appellate and Supreme Court practice partner.
January 1, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as Governor Gavin Newsom's deputy judicial appointments secretary from 2019 through 2023.
January 1, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as a California deputy solicitor general from 2017 through 2019, representing the state in significant civil and criminal matters.
January 1, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Served as an appellate and district-court lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council.
January 1, 2010Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Clerked at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
January 1, 2010Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Earned State Bar certification as a specialist in appellate law.
January 1, 2010Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner in its Appellate and Supreme Court Practice Group.
January 1, 2007Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Clerked at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
January 1, 2007Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Worked as an associate at Coblentz Patch Duffy and Bass LLP from 2005 through 2007.
January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Worked as an associate at Morrison and Foerster LLP from 2003 through 2005.
January 1, 2003Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov · researched September 13, 2026
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 2 records
Authored Sepanossian v. National Ready Mix, reviving an unfair-competition claim over unavoidable energy and environmental fees.
November 15, 2023
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Joined Geringer v. Blue Rider Finance, reversing attorney disqualification because the record did not show prejudice or injury to the judicial process.
August 22, 2023
Source: law.justia.com · researched September 13, 2026
Retention question · November 3, 2026
Profile last researched September 12, 2026.