Thomas DeSantos
CA · Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District
DeSantos is an associate justice of California's Fifth District Court of Appeal. He previously served on the Kings County Superior Court and practiced criminal, family, juvenile, and governmental law.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 13 records
Served as an associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
September 13, 2026
Source: voterguide.sos.ca.gov
Authored Stallion Springs Medical Services v. Superior Court, holding a private medical staffing company did not owe a common-law fair-procedure hearing.
September 2, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Authored People v. Chang, affirming that a delusion without an objective factual correlate did not require an imperfect-self-defense instruction.
March 27, 2026
Source: law.justia.com
Was confirmed as an associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
July 26, 2018
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Filled the appellate vacancy created by Justice Gene M. Gomes's death.
June 27, 2018
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov
Was appointed as an associate justice of the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
June 27, 2018
Source: archive.gov.ca.gov
Handled criminal cases from arraignment through trial and sentencing in a general trial department.
January 1, 2008
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over domestic-violence cases in the Lemoore court.
January 1, 2005
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over juvenile-dependency cases in the Lemoore court.
January 1, 2005
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Handled criminal arraignments, pretrial proceedings, preliminary hearings, and sentencing in Hanford.
October 24, 2003
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over prison-crime and regular criminal calendars in Avenal and Corcoran.
October 24, 2003
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Was appointed to the Kings County Superior Court.
October 24, 2003
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Practiced criminal law in Hanford.
January 1, 1981
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Served on the Judicial Council's Access and Fairness Advisory Committee.
November 1, 2011Favorable on Impartiality
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 18 favorable
Sat by assignment on the California Supreme Court in Fox Paine v. Twin City Fire Insurance and joined the unanimous opinion allowing excess-insurance claims before underlying policies were exhausted.
July 27, 2026Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Served on the Judicial Council's Appellate Advisory Committee.
September 15, 2025Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: courts.ca.gov
Authored J.H. Boyd Enterprises v. Boyd, applying a real-property loan agreement's California-law exception to arbitration.
August 23, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Served on the Judicial Council's Trial Court Budget Advisory Committee.
July 11, 2013Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served on the Judicial Council's Trial Court Presiding Judges Advisory Committee.
January 1, 2013Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Helped design and develop the consolidated Kings County Superior Court courthouse.
January 1, 2012Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served as presiding judge of the Kings County Superior Court.
January 1, 2012Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Served as assistant presiding judge of the Kings County Superior Court.
January 1, 2011Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Handled unlimited civil cases from law-and-motion proceedings through trial and posttrial matters.
January 1, 2008Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over family-law cases in the Lemoore court.
January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Presided over conservatorship cases in the Lemoore court.
January 1, 2005Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Handled limited civil cases in the Hanford court.
October 24, 2003Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began practicing law as a sole practitioner.
January 1, 1994Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Expanded his practice into governmental law.
January 1, 1984Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Expanded his practice into family law.
January 1, 1984Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Joined Farley, Rynda and DeSantos in private practice.
January 1, 1984Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Expanded his practice into juvenile law.
January 1, 1984Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Began private practice with Kahn, Soares and Conway.
January 1, 1981Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: appellate.courts.ca.gov
Past race Thomas DeSantos ran in:
- Associate Justice, Court of Appeal, Fifth District: Shall Associate Justice THOMAS DESANTOS be elected to the office for the term provided by law? · November 3, 2026 · California · incumbent