William S. Dato

Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One.

February 1, 2017

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Was appointed to the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2004

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Joined In re Moore, vacating a child-abuse murder conviction because later scientific developments showed material expert testimony was false.

September 8, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Authored Ashirwad v. Bradbury, affirming that pandemic-era payments did not create a month-to-month commercial tenancy.

January 29, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined McDoniel v. Kavry Management, upholding wrongful-discharge liability for firing an employee based on a compelled polygraph.

September 30, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Completed his second term on the Commission on Judicial Performance.

February 28, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov

Authored In re H.D., ordering a new Racial Justice Act hearing that could consider reliable aggregate policing data.

February 14, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Authored Sarmiento v. Superior Court, directing approval of mental-health diversion for an attempted-robbery defendant.

January 9, 2024Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined Marriage of D.H. and B.G., reversing a child-support ruling that used the wrong definition of full-time high-school attendance.

January 17, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined County of San Diego v. Commission on State Mandates, upholding denial of reimbursement for youth-offender parole laws.

January 1, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Dissented in People v. Zemek, concluding public-trial and juror-misconduct errors required a new murder trial.

January 1, 2023Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined 640 Tenth v. Newsom, rejecting procedural and takings challenges to pandemic business restrictions.

May 13, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined People v. Harden, affirming denial of a felony-murder resentencing petition based on the prior appellate ruling.

March 11, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined Flores v. City of San Diego, reversing summary judgment because the city had not shown compliant police-pursuit training.

January 1, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Was reappointed to the Commission on Judicial Performance for a second term.

March 1, 2021Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Authored Felczer v. Apple, correcting the date from which postjudgment interest on litigation costs accrued.

January 1, 2021Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Authored In re Edgerrin J., reversing juvenile judgments for a renewed hearing on whether police lawfully detained and searched three Black teenagers.

November 20, 2020Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Joined Lief v. Superior Court, granting writ relief from a family-law discovery order.

December 6, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: law.justia.com

Was appointed by the California Supreme Court as the appellate-court member of the Commission on Judicial Performance.

April 1, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One.

February 1, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Served as presiding judge of the San Diego Superior Court's appellate division.

January 1, 2014Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Served as supervising judge of the San Diego Superior Court's North County branch.

January 1, 2012Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Handled juvenile drug-court assignments on the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2009Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Handled adult drug-court assignments on the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2008Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Handled family-law assignments on the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2007Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Handled criminal assignments on the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2006Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Handled civil assignments on the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Was appointed to the San Diego County Superior Court.

January 1, 2004Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Taught products liability as an adjunct professor at California Western School of Law.

January 1, 2000Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Taught appellate practice as an adjunct professor at the University of San Diego School of Law.

January 1, 1995Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Became a certified appellate law specialist in private practice.

January 1, 1990Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Worked as an appellate staff attorney for the California Court of Appeal.

January 1, 1985Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Worked as an appellate staff attorney for the California Supreme Court.

January 1, 1981Favorable on Legal Competence

Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov

Completed his second term on the Commission on Judicial Performance.

February 28, 2025

Source: supreme.courts.ca.gov

Was reappointed to the Commission on Judicial Performance for a second term.

March 1, 2021

Source: cjp.ca.gov

Was appointed by the California Supreme Court as the appellate-court member of the Commission on Judicial Performance.

April 1, 2018

Source: cjp.ca.gov