Judge Richard Vlavianos: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Richard Vlavianos is a judge for the San Joaquin County Superior Court in California. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Pete Wilson in 1999.

Judge Vlavianos received his B.A. from the University of California, Davis in 1982. He went on to earn his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1985.

Vlavianos began his legal career with the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office, where he served as a deputy district attorney for thirteen years. During his tenure there, Vlavianos supervised the D.A.'s Narcotics Unit. He remained with the D.A.'s office until his appointment to the Superior Court in 1999.

While on the bench, Judge Vlavianos has been a proponent of the collaborative courts as well as rehabilitative programs. He established a DUI prevention program called Choices and Consequences, that uses prisoners and collaborative court attendees to help educate students on the dangers of alcohol and drug use. He also established a Truancy Court and helped to revamp the Proposition 36 system for the Superior Court. Judge Vlavianos served as a Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court from 2002 to 2005. His other judicial assignments have included overseeing a multi-track DUI Court, the Proposition 36 Compliance Court, the Mental Health Court, and the Adult Drug Court. He has also presided in the Criminal Division.

Judge Vlavianos has served as chair of the Judicial Council's Collaborative Justice Advisory Committee and has also served on the California Community Corrections Coordinating Committee.

He received the Public Safety Award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2017, the Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Award from the Children's Services Coordinating Commission in 2015, and the Kevin E. Quinlan Award from the Century Council in 2015.

In August 2013, while in his Superior Court chambers, Judge Vlavianos suffered a brain aneurysm. He was ultimately able to return to his judicial duties several weeks later.

He enjoys reading books by authors Scott Turow and Tom Clancy.