Deborah C. Servino
CA · Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three
Servino is an associate justice in Division Three of California's Fourth District Court of Appeal. She previously served on the Orange County Superior Court, including as presiding judge of its appellate division.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 6 records
Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
May 22, 2026
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov
Began serving as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
May 22, 2026
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Was nominated as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
April 16, 2026
Source: gov.ca.gov
Reported having presided over criminal, juvenile truancy, juvenile justice, juvenile dependency, family-law, appellate-division, limited civil, misdemeanor, traffic, and unlimited civil matters.
March 1, 2025
Source: abtl.org
Was appointed to the Orange County Superior Court.
July 16, 2009
Source: gov.ca.gov
Began serving as a deputy attorney general in the California Attorney General's Office.
January 1, 1997
Source: gov.ca.gov
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 19 favorable · 2 unfavorable
Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
May 22, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: newsroom.courts.ca.gov
Began serving as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
May 22, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Was nominated as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
April 16, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov
Reported having presided over criminal, juvenile truancy, juvenile justice, juvenile dependency, family-law, appellate-division, limited civil, misdemeanor, traffic, and unlimited civil matters.
March 1, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
Reported using legal research and writing each week to rule on motions as an unlimited-civil judge.
March 1, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
In Saurman v. Peter's Landing, granted summary judgment against ADA and state disability-access claims and sanctioned the plaintiff's lawyer; the appellate court partly reversed the judgment and reversed the sanctions.
July 26, 2024Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Neeble-Diamond v. Hotel California, awarded more than $180,000 in costs to a prevailing employer without a finding that the employee's FEHA claims were frivolous; the order was reversed.
January 11, 2024Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined the Association of Business Trial Lawyers–Orange County Judicial Advisory Council.
January 1, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
In Garg v. Garg, entered a bench-trial judgment awarding $665,000 for financial elder abuse; the defendants' appeal was dismissed as untimely.
April 4, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Holley v. Silverado Senior Living, denied arbitration of elder-abuse, negligence, and wrongful-death claims because temporary conservators lacked authority to surrender the resident's rights; the order was affirmed.
August 7, 2020Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Lopez v. Bartlett Care Center, denied arbitration of elder-abuse and wrongful-death claims because the facility did not prove authority to bind the resident; the order was affirmed.
July 30, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Jozefowicz v. Allstate, granted summary judgment to the insurer in a dispute over a fire-loss reimbursement check; the judgment was affirmed.
May 28, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Copenbarger v. Morris Cerullo World Evangelism, entered judgment for breach of a settlement agreement; the judgment was reversed for insufficient proof of damages.
October 19, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In Duncan v. Wal-Mart Stores, found Wal-Mart liable for an employee's injuries and awarded $355,000; the workers' compensation lien order was affirmed as modified.
December 13, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
In In re R.V., found a minor competent to stand trial, sustained weapon-brandishing and vandalism allegations, and imposed supervised probation; the judgment was affirmed.
June 19, 2013Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Was appointed to the Orange County Superior Court.
July 16, 2009Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov
Began serving as a deputy attorney general in the California Attorney General's Office.
January 1, 1997Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: gov.ca.gov
Appeared as counsel in federal district court, the Ninth Circuit, California appellate courts, the California Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
January 1, 1997Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
Handled felony criminal appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and state-court matters when district attorneys were recused.
January 1, 1997Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
Joined Rutan & Tucker's business-litigation section as an associate.
October 1, 1996Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
Clerked for Judge Melvin T. Brunetti of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
August 1, 1995Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: abtl.org
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 1 record
Joined the Association of Business Trial Lawyers–Orange County Judicial Advisory Council.
January 1, 2023
Source: abtl.org
Past race Deborah C. Servino ran in:
- Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three: Shall Associate Justice DEBORAH C. SERVINO be elected to the office for the term provided by law? · November 3, 2026 · California · incumbent