Judge Mark A. Juhas

Judge Mark A. Juhas has presided over Department 064 (Family Law) at Stanley Mosk Courthouse since November 2002, bringing over two decades of continuous family law judicial experience to the bench. Appointed by Governor Gray Davis on August 23, 2002, he arrived with 23 years of civil litigation background in insurance defense at Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow & Canter before transitioning to the judiciary. His self-described judicial philosophy balances the role of an umpire with a willingness to take affirmative action when circumstances require it — a posture that signals he is not a passive arbiter in family law proceedings and will intervene when he determines the facts demand it. Judge Juhas's academic and civic engagement distinguishes him from most bench officers. He serves as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Law School teaching Family Law and Community Property, demonstrating active, ongoing engagement with the doctrinal substance of the cases he hears. His eight-year tenure as Chair of the California Commission on Access to Justice (2015–2023) and his receipt of the 2023 Aranda Access to Justice Award reflect a sustained institutional commitment to ensuring the courts function fairly for all parties, including self-represented litigants. Attorneys should expect a judge who is attuned to procedural fairness and who takes seriously the court's obligation to parties who may lack full legal representation. His handling of high-profile matters such as the David Hasselhoff and Pamela Bach custody and divorce proceedings (2006–2007) — including approving a custody arrangement and ordering the sale or vacation of the family home — demonstrates his willingness to issue concrete, enforceable orders in contested family law disputes. His citation in coverage related to domestic violence restraining order standards further indicates engagement with the full spectrum of family law issues, including protective orders.

Attorneys appearing before Judge Juhas should recognize that his background as a civil litigator in insurance defense, combined with over two decades on the family law bench, means he is procedurally sophisticated and unlikely to be swayed by arguments that lack evidentiary grounding. His judicial philosophy explicitly acknowledges a role beyond passive umpire — he will act when he believes the circumstances require it. Attorneys should therefore come prepared with clear, factually supported positions and should not assume that procedural inertia will favor their client. Proactive judicial intervention is a documented feature of his approach. Given his role as an adjunct professor teaching Family Law and Community Property at Southwestern Law School, Judge Juhas maintains a high level of doctrinal fluency in both subjects. Arguments that engage directly with California community property law, statutory family code provisions, and relevant case law will resonate with a judge who actively teaches these subjects. Superficial or conclusory legal arguments are unlikely to be persuasive. Attorneys should brief the law carefully and be prepared to engage in substantive legal discussion from the bench. His eight-year leadership of the California Commission on Access to Justice signals a strong institutional sensitivity to fairness and access, particularly for self-represented litigants. In cases involving a pro per opposing party, attorneys should be especially careful to avoid conduct that could be perceived as taking procedural advantage of an unrepresented party. Judge Juhas's access-to-justice orientation suggests he will scrutinize such dynamics closely and may take steps to level the playing field sua sponte.

• critical

  Master the Applicable Family Code and Community Property Statutes

  Judge Juhas teaches these subjects at the law school level. Every legal argument should be anchored to specific statutory provisions and controlling case law. Prepare to discuss doctrine at a level appropriate for a subject-matter expert on the bench.

• critical

  Draft Specific, Implementable Proposed Orders

  His documented practice of issuing concrete orders — including property disposition and custody arrangements — in the Hasselhoff/Bach matter indicates he expects attorneys to come with workable, specific proposed relief rather than general requests.

• important

  Review Domestic Violence Restraining Order Standards

  Judge Juhas has been cited in coverage related to DVRO standards. In any matter touching on protective orders, attorneys must be fully versed in the applicable evidentiary and legal standards under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act.

• important

  Prepare for Sua Sponte Judicial Action

  His stated philosophy of intervening when circumstances require means attorneys should anticipate and be prepared to respond to bench-initiated inquiries or orders not directly prompted by pending motions.

• important

  Assess Access-to-Justice Dynamics in Your Case

  If the opposing party is self-represented, review your procedural posture for any conduct that could be characterized as taking unfair advantage. His access-to-justice record indicates this will be a factor in how he evaluates attorney conduct.

• Nice

  Review High-Profile Case Handling Precedents

  The Hasselhoff/Bach proceedings provide a documented example of how Judge Juhas manages contested custody and property matters. Reviewing public coverage of those proceedings provides insight into his case management style.

• ›Present legal arguments with statutory and case law citations; Judge Juhas's active teaching role in Family Law and Community Property means he will evaluate the doctrinal quality of your arguments directly.
• ›Bring fully drafted proposed orders to hearings; his documented practice of issuing specific, enforceable relief indicates he expects attorneys to have implementable language ready.
• ›Treat self-represented opposing parties with scrupulous procedural fairness; his eight-year leadership of the California Commission on Access to Justice and his Aranda Award reflect active attention to courtroom equity.
• ›Be prepared to respond to bench-initiated questions or directions that go beyond the noticed motion; his stated philosophy of acting when circumstances require signals an engaged, interventionist style.
• ›Demonstrate command of the full factual record; his civil litigation background in insurance defense reflects training in evidence-intensive practice, and he brings that standard to the bench.