Judge Wendy McGuire Coats

Biography

The Hon. Wendy McGuire Coats is a judge for the Contra Costa County Superior Court in California. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Jerry Brown on December 7, 2018, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Barry P. Goode.

Coats earned a B.S.Ed. in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1996. She spent the next several years teaching high school before completing a J.D. at Pepperdine University, Rick J. Caruso School of Law in 2005. As a law student, she sat as Editor-in-Chief of the Pepperdine Law Review.

After graduating from law school, Coats began her legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Ronald S.W. Lew of the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The following year, after the conclusion of her clerkship, she entered into private practice.

Coats started as an associate at Howrey, representing asylum applicants before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeal. Then, in 2010, she became a partner at McGuire Coats. She worked in that capacity until 2016, at which time she moved to Fisher Phillips. As a partner, Coats specialized in appellate matters, working in the Civil Litigation, White-Collar Criminal Defense, and California Appellate Practice Groups.

Her memberships have included the Contra Costa County Bar Association (director), the American Bar Association, the California Women Lawyers (Amicus Committee), and the Robert McGrath American Inn of Court. She has also been involved with the Alamo Elementary School Site Council and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (director).

Born on a dairy farm in Upstate New York, Coats moved with her family to Columbia, Missouri, when she was ten years old. At that time, her father became the Head Track & Field Coach at the University of Missouri. In 2000, she moved to Los Angeles in order to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

She is registered as a Democrat.

Recent Cases by Hon. Wendy McGuire Coats

JESSICA JOHNSON VS GERALD JOHNSON

On March 8, 2022 a case was filed in the jurisdiction of Contra Costa County. Judge Wendy McGuire Coats presiding.

Filed

Mar 08, 2022

Status

ACTIVE

Case #

Current Appointment Contra Costa County Superior Court, Department 17	Contra Costa County Superior Court, Department 17
Education B.S.Ed., University of Missouri-Columbia - 1996 J.D., Pepperdine University, Rick J. Caruso School of Law - 2005	B.S.Ed., University of Missouri-Columbia - 1996 J.D., Pepperdine University, Rick J. Caruso School of Law - 2005

Current Court:	CA - Contra Costa County Superior Court
Clerk phone:	+1 (925) 608-1117

Role	Employer	Where
Judicial Law Clerk	United States District Court for the Central District of California	None
Associate	Howrey, LLP	None
Partner	McGuire Coats, LLP	None
Partner	Fisher Phillips	None
Judge	Superior Court of California	Contra Costa County, California

The Honorable Wendy McGuire Coats

Biography

Recent Cases by Hon. Wendy McGuire Coats

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