Kathleen E. O'Leary, Associate Justice
Justice Kathleen E. O'Leary was appointed to the California
Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Three, in
December 1999. Her appointment was unanimously confirmed by the
Commission on Judicial Appointments on January 21, 2000. In November
2002, Justice O'Leary was elected by the voters of the Fourth
District (Imperial, Inyo, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San
Diego counties) to the same office.
In January 2006, Justice O'Leary received the Franklin G. West
Award, the Orange County Bar Association's highest honor. This award
is presented each year to an outstanding attorney or judge whose
lifetime achievements have advanced justice and the law.
Throughout her judicial career, Justice O'Leary has been active
in judicial and law-related education efforts. She is a past member
and past chair of the Governing Committee of the California Center
for Judicial Education and Research (CJER). She has consistently
worked to improve the administration of justice through
comprehensive and quality education and training for judicial
officers and other judicial branch personnel. In addition to
teaching a number of courses for California judicial officers,
judicial branch staff, law enforcement and lawyers, she has taught
courses for the judiciary of sister states, the National Center for
State Courts, and the National Judicial College. In 2003, Justice
O'Leary was presented with the Bernard S. Jefferson Award for
Distinguished Service in Judicial Education by the California Judges
Association.
Justice O'Leary has served by appointment of the Chief Justice as
a member of the Judicial Council of California, the constitutionally
mandated body responsible for improving the administration of
justice in California, on a number of its advisory committees, and
on numerous Judicial Council task forces. Justice O'Leary's
contributions to judicial administration were recognized by the
Judicial Council when she was named Jurist of the Year in 1999.
Prior to her appointment to the appellate court, Justice O'Leary
served on the Orange County Superior Court. She was appointed to the
Orange County Superior Court on July 1, 1986, by Governor George
Deukmejian, and was in her third term as the Presiding Judge of that
court when elevated to the Court of Appeal. Justice O'Leary began
her judicial career at the West Orange County Municipal Court in
1981, where she also served both as the Presiding Judge and the
Assistant Presiding Judge.
Justice O'Leary attended Marymount College at Loyola University,
now Loyola Marymount University and received her juris doctorate
degree from Southwestern University School of Law.
Justice O'Leary and her husband reside in Orange County.
<<
back
