Judge Joe T. Perez: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Joe T. Perez is a judge of the Superior Court of Orange County in California. He was appointed by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on December 3, 2010, filling a newly created seat.

Perez earned a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. He then received a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.

Perez began his legal career in 1995. He briefly worked as an attorney in his own private practice before joining the Office of the Public Defender. He served as a deputy public defender until his appointment as commissioner to the Superior Court of Orange County in 2007.

Perez is a second-generation judge. His father was the first Spanish-speaking attorney in Orange County, eventually becoming its first Spanish-speaking judge.

Perez is registered as a Democrat.