Kathleen A. Meehan
CA · Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District
Meehan is an associate justice of California's Fifth District Court of Appeal. She previously served on the Fresno County Superior Court and worked in private practice and the California Attorney General's Office.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 21 records
Served as an associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
September 13, 2026
Source: voterguide.sos.ca.gov
Authored People v. Castillo, upholding most noneconomic restitution while vacating an award unsupported by evidence of individual harm.
September 1, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Authored People v. Dixon, ordering a new resentencing hearing because grand-jury and police records were improperly admitted.
January 26, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Authored Kruitbosch v. Bakersfield Recovery Services, reviving workplace sexual-harassment and failure-to-prevent claims.
June 25, 2025
Source: law.justia.com
Authored In re K.H., requiring a fuller inquiry into possible Native American ancestry before closing a dependency case.
October 21, 2022
Source: law.justia.com
Authored Therolf v. Superior Court, requiring a hearing and proper review before withholding a deceased child's juvenile case files.
June 30, 2022
Source: law.justia.com
Authored Negron v. Superior Court, ordering a new hearing on the defendant's request for mental-health diversion.
November 17, 2021
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Cavey v. Tualla, reviving a personal-injury suit after a school district sent its claim-rejection notice incorrectly.
September 24, 2021
Source: law.justia.com
Authored Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. Superior Court, preserving the agency's authority to investigate later discrimination claims.
April 16, 2020
Source: law.justia.com
Joined People v. Sanchez, reversing an attempted-murder conviction that may have rested on an invalid imputed-malice theory.
March 16, 2020
Source: law.justia.com
Authored People v. Ellis, allowing a limited resentencing request after a retroactive change in sentencing law.
December 24, 2019
Source: law.justia.com
Joined People v. Gutierrez, reversing after police unreasonably prolonged a visitor's detention during another person's probation search.
March 29, 2018
Source: law.justia.com
Was nominated to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
December 1, 2016
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began serving as a Fresno County Superior Court judge.
January 1, 2014
Source: law.ucdavis.edu
Helped establish the Fresno County Bar Association's appellate and pro bono sections.
January 1, 2011
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served as president of the Central California Legal Services board.
January 1, 2011
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began serving as a Fresno County Superior Court commissioner.
January 1, 2011
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began serving on the State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund Commission.
January 1, 2008
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Received the Legal Aid Association of California's Statewide Board Member of the Year Award.
January 1, 2006
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Was named Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by Central California Legal Services.
January 1, 2004
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served on the State Bar's Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services.
January 1, 2003
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Dissented in 1 Community Compact v. City of Fresno, arguing the court should dismiss a moot street-renaming dispute instead of deciding constitutional questions.
August 21, 2026Favorable on Impartiality
Source: law.justia.com
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 12 favorable
Sat by assignment on the California Supreme Court in Lopez v. Ledesma, joining its medical-malpractice damages decision.
February 24, 2022Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Joined Barefoot v. Jennings, holding that a former trust beneficiary lacked standing under the probate petition statute.
August 14, 2018Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
February 9, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served as president of Fresno County Women Lawyers.
January 1, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Received the Justice Pauline Davis Hanson Award from Fresno County Women Lawyers.
January 1, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served as president-elect of the Fresno County Bar Association after holding several board offices.
January 1, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began representing public agencies in complex and constitutional litigation for the California attorney general's office.
January 1, 2008Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began representing the Fresno County Bar Association in the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations.
January 1, 2003Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Litigated securities, business, agriculture, estate, and civil appellate matters in private practice.
January 1, 1995Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Became a shareholder at Baker, Manock & Jensen.
January 1, 1995Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Joined Baker, Manock & Jensen in Fresno.
January 1, 1994Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Entered private practice in Los Angeles, handling large securities and business cases.
January 1, 1985Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Past race Kathleen A. Meehan ran in:
- Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Fifth District: Shall Associate Justice KATHLEEN A. MEEHAN be elected to the office for the term provided by law? · November 3, 2026 · California · incumbent