Judge J. David Mazurek

Judge J. David Mazurek serves on the San Bernardino County Superior Court, presiding at the San Bernardino Justice Center. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2006 and earned his law degree from the University of La Verne College of Law. His tenure on the bench spans nearly two decades, during which he has handled a range of serious criminal matters. The case record available reflects a consistent assignment to high-stakes criminal proceedings. Judge Mazurek presided over the 2016 Christopher Lee murder case, in which the defendant was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of Erin Corwin, a fellow Marine's wife — a case that drew significant public and media attention. He also presided over a 2024 death penalty recommendation case involving the killing of two San Bernardino women, and in 2025 oversaw the Line Fire arson trial, in which the defendant was found guilty on nine of twelve counts. A child sex abuse case is also noted among his docket. Based on the available profile data, Judge Mazurek's courtroom has been the venue for some of the most serious criminal matters in San Bernardino County, including capital cases and high-profile homicides. No ruling analyses or attorney observations are available in the current dataset, which limits the depth of behavioral and stylistic analysis that can be offered at this time.

Given Judge Mazurek's documented history presiding over capital cases, life-sentence matters, and multi-count felony trials, attorneys appearing before him in serious criminal proceedings should be prepared for a courtroom environment accustomed to complex, high-stakes litigation. The Line Fire arson case outcome — guilty on nine of twelve counts — demonstrates that the court has rendered split verdicts on multi-count indictments, which underscores the importance of precise, count-by-count argumentation rather than broad thematic defenses. For defense attorneys, the death penalty recommendation case and the life-sentence outcome in the Christopher Lee matter signal that Judge Mazurek has experience managing penalty-phase proceedings and the procedural demands of capital litigation. Thorough preparation on sentencing law, aggravating and mitigating factors, and penalty-phase evidence presentation is essential. Prosecutors should be aware that the judge has experience with the full spectrum of serious criminal procedure and will expect well-organized, evidence-grounded presentations. Because no attorney observations or ruling analyses are available in the current dataset, attorneys should independently research recent rulings from Judge Mazurek's courtroom through San Bernardino County Superior Court records and consult colleagues who have appeared before him to supplement this intelligence before any appearance.

• critical

  Research Recent Rulings Independently

  No ruling analyses are available in this dataset. Before any appearance, attorneys should pull recent orders and minute orders from San Bernardino County Superior Court records to identify Judge Mazurek's current procedural preferences and ruling patterns.

• critical

  Prepare Count-by-Count Argumentation in Multi-Count Cases

  The Line Fire arson case outcome shows the court rendered a split verdict across twelve counts. In any multi-count matter, attorneys should prepare individualized arguments for each count rather than relying on a single overarching theory.

• critical

  Master California Capital and Serious Felony Sentencing Law

  Given the documented capital case and life-sentence matters on Judge Mazurek's docket, attorneys in serious criminal proceedings must be fully prepared on sentencing statutes, aggravating and mitigating factors, and penalty-phase procedure.

• important

  Consult Attorneys With Prior Appearances Before This Judge

  The absence of attorney observations in this dataset means firsthand accounts from colleagues who have appeared before Judge Mazurek are the most reliable source of courtroom behavioral intelligence currently available.

• important

  Review High-Profile Case Transcripts Where Available

  The Christopher Lee murder case (2016) and the Line Fire arson case (2025) are public record matters. Reviewing available transcripts or court filings from these proceedings can provide insight into how Judge Mazurek managed complex criminal trials.

• ›Treat every appearance as a high-stakes proceeding — Judge Mazurek's documented docket includes capital cases and life-sentence matters, and the courtroom environment reflects that gravity.
• ›Be fully prepared on procedural and evidentiary issues before appearing; the complexity of cases on record suggests the court expects attorneys to arrive ready to litigate at a high level.
• ›Present arguments with specificity and organization, particularly in multi-count matters, given the court's demonstrated capacity to render count-specific verdicts.
• ›Arrive with all required filings and exhibits in order; high-profile criminal cases demand meticulous documentation and the court has managed extensive evidentiary records.