Biography

The Hon. Paul K. Richardson is a judge for the Yolo County Superior Court in California. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008. He filled the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Donna Petre (Ret.).

He is a registered Republican.

Judge Richardson graduated with his B.A. in history and political science from Stanford University. He went on to earn his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Richardson, who was admitted to the bar in both Massachusetts and California, worked as an assistant district attorney and special assistant district attorney with the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office beginning in 1983.

Then, after returning to California in 1986, Richardson began practicing as an associate at the Sacramento law firm of Bolling, Walters, and Gawthrop.

Three years later, he left the private sector to join the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office, where he practiced as a deputy district attorney until being elected to serve as the district attorney for Placer County in 1991. Richardson remained the head of the Placer County D.A.'s office until he was appointed by former Governor Pete Wilson to serve as general counsel to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board in 1995. He was subsequently confirmed to the position by the California State Senate.

Then, after five years at that post, he briefly served as a research attorney for the California Senate Republican Office of Fiscal Policy and Research in 2000 before then joining the Yolo County District Attorney's Office in 2002. He remained with the Yolo County District Attorney's Office until being appointed to serve as a court commissioner for the Yolo County Superior Court in 2006. Richardson would remain in that position until his elevation to the bench two years later.

During his tenure on the Superior Court, Judge Richardson was elected to serve as the Assistant Presiding Judge of the Court in 2016. He has also presided in the Criminal Division.

Away from the bench, Judge Richardson enjoys hiking and mountain climbing. In 2014, he ascended Mount Kala Patthar, a mountain in Nepal that sits in the shadow of Mount Everest.