Judge Patricia A. Young

Judge Patricia A. Young sits at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown on October 5, 2016. Her pre-bench career was defined by criminal defense work: she served as a Deputy Federal Public Defender beginning in 2009 and was elevated to Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender at the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California in 2014. Prior to that, she was an Associate at Latham & Watkins LLP from 2005 to 2009, and clerked for the Honorable Keith P. Ellison at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas from 2004 to 2005. She holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Southern California. The most documented case on her docket is the Steven Tyler sexual abuse lawsuit. In January 2026, Judge Young ruled that California sex abuse claims could proceed while dismissing other claims — a ruling that reflects a willingness to parse complex multi-claim complaints and apply California's sex abuse statutes with precision. Notably, she recused herself one day before a scheduled hearing on a Steven Tyler dismissal motion in September 2025, a fact that attorneys should be aware of when assessing case continuity and recusal risk in high-profile matters. Judge Young also has a Commission on Judicial Performance record, which is a matter of public record and warrants independent review by counsel. With no analyzed rulings or attorney observations in the current dataset, the confidence level for behavioral predictions is limited, and attorneys should supplement this profile with direct research into her recent docket activity.

Given Judge Young's extensive background as a federal public defender, attorneys handling criminal matters or civil cases involving constitutional rights, due process, or civil liberties arguments should recognize that she brings direct, hands-on experience with those frameworks. Her career was built on rigorous statutory and constitutional analysis in an adversarial federal context, which suggests she values precise legal argument grounded in statute and case law rather than broad equitable appeals. In the Steven Tyler matter, Judge Young demonstrated a capacity to disaggregate a multi-claim complaint — allowing some claims to proceed while dismissing others. Attorneys filing or defending against complex complaints should ensure each cause of action is independently supported and legally distinct. Weak or duplicative claims are a vulnerability before a judge who has shown willingness to dismiss portions of a complaint on the merits. Attorneys should independently verify the nature of Judge Young's Commission on Judicial Performance record before appearing. This is a publicly available record and may contain information relevant to understanding her judicial conduct history. Additionally, her mid-case recusal in the Steven Tyler matter — one day before a scheduled hearing — underscores the importance of monitoring recusal issues early, particularly in cases involving public figures, media attention, or potential conflicts.

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  Research the CJP Record

  Independently obtain and review Judge Young's Commission on Judicial Performance record through the CJP's public database before any appearance. Understanding the nature of any proceedings is essential context.

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  Audit Each Cause of Action Independently

  Given her ruling in the Steven Tyler case dismissing some claims while allowing others, ensure every cause of action in your complaint or opposition is independently supported by statute and case law. Remove or consolidate weak claims before filing.

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  Assess Recusal Risk Early

  In any matter with public profile, media attention, or potential conflicts, evaluate recusal issues at the outset of the case rather than waiting for a hearing date. Her recusal in the Steven Tyler matter occurred one day before a scheduled hearing.

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  Ground Arguments in California Statutory Text

  Her ruling allowing California sex abuse claims to proceed reflects close attention to California statutory frameworks. Anchor arguments in the specific statutory language and controlling California authority rather than relying on general equitable principles.

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  Review Her Recent Docket for Emerging Patterns

  No ruling analyses are currently available in this dataset. Attorneys should independently review her recent rulings on Trellis, CourtListener, or the LASC online docket to supplement this profile before appearing.

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  Prepare for a Procedurally Rigorous Bench

  Her clerkship with a federal district court judge and her federal public defender career reflect a procedurally disciplined background. Ensure all filings comply precisely with local rules, page limits, and formatting requirements.

• ›Be prepared to address each cause of action or legal theory individually — her ruling history shows she evaluates claims on a disaggregated basis rather than accepting or rejecting complaints wholesale.
• ›Cite directly to California statutory text and controlling appellate authority; her background reflects a practice built on precise legal analysis rather than broad policy arguments.
• ›Do not assume continuity of assignment in high-profile or sensitive matters — her mid-case recusal in the Steven Tyler matter demonstrates that recusal can occur on short notice.
• ›Approach the bench with the level of preparation expected in federal court; her clerkship and federal defender career reflect federal-court standards of rigor.
• ›If your matter has any potential conflict or recusal issue, raise it proactively and early rather than waiting for the court to identify it.