Judge Lori R. Behar

Judge Lori R. Behar was appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Governor Jerry Brown on December 27, 2012, as one of 11 Democratic appointees to the court at that time. Her documented judicial record includes presiding over criminal matters. In a 2019 criminal case covered by the Long Beach Post, Judge Behar sentenced a defendant convicted of filming 17 coworkers in a bathroom to jail time, rejecting the defendant's request for leniency. This single documented sentencing decision reflects a willingness to impose custodial sentences in criminal cases even when defendants seek alternatives. Judge Behar has also been noted in connection with American Inn of Court activities as of 2017, indicating engagement with the broader legal professional community. Beyond these documented facts, the available data does not support broader characterizations of her judicial philosophy or ruling patterns across civil, family, or other matter types.

The only documented substantive ruling available for Judge Behar is a 2019 criminal sentencing in which she declined a defendant's request for leniency and imposed jail time. Attorneys appearing before her in criminal matters should not assume that requests for leniency will be granted without strong, well-documented justification. Arguments for reduced or alternative sentencing should be grounded in concrete mitigating evidence rather than general appeals. Beyond this single data point, the available record does not support specific tactical guidance for civil, motion practice, or other matter types. Attorneys should conduct independent research into her current department's local rules and any standing orders before appearing.

• critical

  Research Current Department Assignment and Standing Orders

  With no ruling analyses in the dataset, attorneys must independently verify Judge Behar's current department, obtain any standing orders, and review local rules applicable to that department before any appearance.

• critical

  Prepare Substantive Mitigation Evidence for Criminal Sentencing

  Based on the documented 2019 sentencing, bare requests for leniency were rejected. Any sentencing argument should be supported by concrete documentary evidence of mitigating factors.

• important

  Review American Inn of Court Standards for Professionalism

  Judge Behar's noted connection to American Inn of Court activities suggests familiarity with and value placed on professional courtroom conduct and civility standards.

• important

  Conduct Independent Westlaw/Lexis Research on Recent Rulings

  Given the absence of analyzed rulings in this dataset, attorneys should independently search for any published or reported decisions, minute orders, or tentative rulings associated with Judge Behar's courtroom.

• ›Maintain strict professional conduct consistent with American Inn of Court standards, given Judge Behar's documented involvement with that organization.
• ›Do not rely on informal or unsupported requests for judicial discretion; present all requests with documented factual and legal support.
• ›Arrive prepared with knowledge of the specific department's local procedures, as Judge Behar has over a decade of bench experience and expects procedural compliance.
• ›In criminal matters, be prepared for the court to impose custodial sentences when the record supports conviction, as demonstrated in the 2019 sentencing decision.