Biography

The Hon. Stephen P. Acquisto is a judge for the Sacramento County Superior Court in California. He was appointed to the bench in 2013 by former governor Jerry Brown. He filled the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Peter J. McBrien (Ret.).

He is a registered Democrat.

Judge Acquisto graduated with his B.A. in political science and economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He went on to earn his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law. While in college, Acquisto externed for Senator Donald Riegle (D-MI) in Washington, D.C.

Acquisto began his legal career in private practice, where he worked as an associate for Rushford and Bonotto LLP from 1995 to 1998, and for Mennemeier, Glassman, and Stroud LLP from 1998 to 2001.

After he left Mennemeier et al., Acquisto joined the California Department of Justice's Office of the Attorney General, where he worked as a deputy attorney general and a supervising deputy attorney general in the A.G.'s Correctional Law Division. During that time, he handled individual and class action prisoner civil rights cases. Then, in 2007, he would be assigned to the A.G.'s Government Law Section, where he handled public policy issues.

In 2011, Acquisto would become the chief deputy legal affairs secretary for then-governor Jerry Brown. While there, Acquisto was tasked with assisting the governor with the parole review process as well as addressing the issue of prison overcrowding. He also assisted the governor with the state's involvement in the complex litigation of health care matters. He would hold that position until his appointment by the governor to the Superior Court two years later.

Acquisto taught legal process as an adjunct professor for the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law from 2003 to 2005.

An avid runner, Judge Acquisto enjoys training for and competing in marathons in his free time.