Judge David B. Gelfound

Judge David B. Gelfound serves on the Los Angeles Superior Court at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, having been appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on May 23, 2007. His tenure on the bench now spans nearly two decades, making him one of the more experienced jurists in the Los Angeles Superior Court system. The available public record documents his presiding over the 2010 Chris Klein DUI case, in which the actor received a sentence that included four days of jail time — a result that reflects a willingness to impose custodial consequences in criminal matters even for high-profile defendants. Beyond this documented criminal matter, the available data does not support detailed characterizations of his broader judicial philosophy, motion practice preferences, or civil litigation tendencies. Attorneys should treat this profile as a starting point for research rather than a comprehensive behavioral map. The limited data available does confirm that Judge Gelfound has handled at least some criminal proceedings and has demonstrated a readiness to impose incarceration in appropriate cases.

Given the limited ruling data available, attorneys appearing before Judge Gelfound should conduct independent research into his current department's assigned case types and any recent published tentative rulings or minute orders accessible through the Los Angeles Superior Court's online portal. This will provide the most current and relevant behavioral data prior to any appearance. The one documented case on record — a DUI criminal matter — shows that Judge Gelfound imposed actual jail time on a defendant, suggesting that in criminal proceedings, attorneys should not assume leniency based on a defendant's public profile or status. Defense counsel in criminal matters should be prepared to present compelling mitigation evidence and should not rely on celebrity or public sympathy as a substitute for substantive legal argument. Prosecutors should be aware that the court has demonstrated a willingness to follow through on custodial sentences.

• critical

  Research Current Department Assignment and Case Type

  Confirm Judge Gelfound's current department and assigned case categories through the Los Angeles Superior Court website before any appearance, as judicial assignments can change over time.

• critical

  Review Recent Tentative Rulings and Minute Orders

  Access the court's online tentative ruling system and any publicly available minute orders to identify current procedural preferences and ruling tendencies not captured in this profile.

• important

  Prepare Strong Mitigation Evidence in Criminal Matters

  The documented case record shows the judge imposed custodial time in a DUI matter. Defense counsel must prepare thorough mitigation packages and not assume non-custodial outcomes.

• important

  Consult Attorneys with Recent Appearances

  Given the absence of attorney observation data in this profile, seek out colleagues who have appeared before Judge Gelfound recently to gather current firsthand intelligence.

• ›Arrive fully prepared on procedural requirements, as a judge with nearly two decades on the bench will expect compliance with established court rules.
• ›Do not rely on a client's public profile or celebrity status as a factor in sentencing or outcome arguments — the documented record shows such considerations did not prevent a custodial sentence.
• ›Confirm all local rules and department-specific procedures in advance through the court's official resources, as this profile does not contain department-specific standing orders.