CA Bar #: 123453 (June 1986)
Appointed By: Gov. Pete Wilson
The Hon. James R. Brandlin (Ret.) was a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court in California[1]. Brandlin was appointed to the South Bay Municipal Court by former Governor Pete Wilson on January 22, 1993, and Wilson elevated him to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in July 1997[2]. He retired on June 1, 2018, becoming director of public safety for the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with Robert Serna filling the vacancy created by his retirement[1][3].
While on the bench, Brandlin's assignments included criminal matters[2][4]. From 1995 to 1997, he sat as a judge pro tem for the Second District Court of Appeal[2]. He later served as assistant presiding judge. Brandlin also served as assistant supervising judge of criminal matters, and in 2014 he became supervising judge of criminal courts[2][4].
In 2016, he presided over proceedings in People v. Raymond Jennings after the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Conviction Review Unit presented newly discovered evidence that called Jennings's 2009 murder conviction into question[5]. Brandlin also presided over singer Chris Brown's felony probation matter arising from a 2009 assault conviction and revoked Brown's probation in 2013 after a Washington, D.C., arrest[6].
At Santa Barbara College of Law, Brandlin completed a J.D. in 1986 and graduated cum laude[2]. During law school, he served as a deputy sheriff with the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department from 1978 to 1986[2]. He was admitted to the State Bar of California (June 1986).
After graduating from law school and joining the bar, Brandlin began his legal career as a deputy district attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in 1986[2]. By the end of his service with the office, he was assistant head deputy of the Career Criminal Unit[2].
Alongside his judicial service, Brandlin taught judicial security and privacy protection as an instructor for the Center for Judicial Education and Research and as a faculty member of the National Judicial College, in Reno, Nevada[3]. His committee work included chairing the Los Angeles County Superior Court Security Committee and the Center for Judicial Education and Research Court Security Education Committee[3]. From 2012 to 2015, he served on the Judicial Council of California[7]. He also authored and sponsored six California bills that were enacted to provide privacy protections for the home addresses and telephone numbers of public safety officials[3]. The Los Angeles County Bar Association's Criminal Justice Section recognized Brandlin with its Superior Court Judge of the Year Award in 2008[8].
Outside the courtroom, Brandlin traced his work on judicial security and privacy protection to his earlier career in law enforcement[3].
[1] Metropolitan News-Enterprise — Retirements
[2] Daily Journal — Judicial Profile of James R. Brandlin
[3] NAPCO Webinar Speaker Resumes — Judiciary Under Attack
[4] Metropolitan News-Enterprise — Wilson Names Brandlin Supervising Judge of Criminal Division
[5] Motion for Finding of Factual Innocence
[6] Los Angeles Times — Judge Revokes Chris Brown's Probation Over D.C. Arrest
[7] California Courts — JC Historical Roster
[8] Metropolitan News-Enterprise — End of Year Awards 2008
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