Judge Marisa Hernandez-Stern

Judge Marisa Hernandez-Stern was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 29, 2024, as part of a five-judge appointment round. She is a UCLA School of Law alumna. Because her appointment is recent and no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content are available at this time, no judicial philosophy, ruling patterns, or courtroom tendencies can be described from verified data. What is confirmed: Judge Hernandez-Stern sits at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles County. Her appointment by Governor Newsom places her among a cohort of judges selected as part of a stated effort to strengthen the California judiciary. No prior judicial record, practice area history, or pre-bench career details are available in the provided data sources. Attorneys appearing before Judge Hernandez-Stern should treat this as a low-data environment and prepare accordingly. The absence of a ruling history means no tendencies, preferences, or patterns can be identified at this stage. The guidance below reflects only what can be responsibly inferred from her appointment context and general best practices for newly appointed Los Angeles Superior Court judges.

With no ruling analyses or attorney observations on record, attorneys cannot rely on established pattern data to tailor their approach. The prudent course is to present arguments with maximum clarity, thorough citation to controlling California authority, and well-organized briefs, as there is no data indicating any deviation from standard superior court expectations. Because Judge Hernandez-Stern is a newly appointed judge as of January 2024, she has had limited time on the bench to develop a publicly documented record. Attorneys should not assume familiarity with any particular procedural shortcuts or informal courtroom customs that might exist with longer-tenured judges. Strict compliance with the California Rules of Court and Los Angeles Superior Court Local Rules is the baseline expectation. No data exists to identify preferred argument styles, motion practice tendencies, or settlement orientation. Attorneys should request and review any standing orders issued by Judge Hernandez-Stern's department at Stanley Mosk Courthouse before any appearance, as newly appointed judges frequently issue standing orders that govern their specific courtroom procedures.

• critical

  Obtain Department Standing Orders

  Before any appearance, retrieve the current standing orders for Judge Hernandez-Stern's department at Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Newly appointed judges frequently issue standing orders governing briefing schedules, hearing procedures, and courtroom conduct that are not reflected in general court rules.

• critical

  Review Los Angeles Superior Court Local Rules

  With no judge-specific data available, strict compliance with LASC Local Rules is the safest baseline. Confirm all filing deadlines, format requirements, and notice periods are met precisely.

• important

  Prepare Thorough Legal Authority Citations

  Given her UCLA Law background and the absence of any data suggesting tolerance for under-briefed arguments, ensure all motions and oppositions cite controlling California authority with precision and completeness.

• important

  Monitor Emerging Ruling Record

  As Judge Hernandez-Stern accumulates rulings on Trellis and other legal research platforms, review them before each appearance. Her record will develop over time and should be checked close to any scheduled hearing.

• important

  Contact Courtroom Clerk for Procedural Preferences

  In the absence of published attorney observations, the department clerk is a reliable source for current procedural preferences, tentative ruling practices, and scheduling norms specific to this department.

• ›Comply strictly with all California Rules of Court and LASC Local Rules — no judge-specific exceptions or informal practices have been documented for this department.
• ›Arrive prepared to address procedural questions directly, as no data exists indicating this judge tolerates unprepared counsel or requests for continuances based on avoidable scheduling conflicts.
• ›Check the court's online portal for any tentative rulings before each hearing, as Stanley Mosk Courthouse departments commonly issue tentatives and expect counsel to be prepared to argue from them.
• ›Address the judge formally and professionally at all times — no behavioral data exists to suggest any informal courtroom style is acceptable in this department.