Judge Robert E. Sanchez DuFour

Judge Robert E. Sanchez DuFour was appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court by Governor Gavin Newsom on November 13, 2020, as part of a cohort of 19 Superior Court appointments. His pre-bench career was spent entirely at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, where he served as a Deputy District Attorney from 2005 until his appointment — a tenure of approximately 15 years. His legal training comes from Vanderbilt University Law School. Because no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content are available at this time, no patterns in judicial philosophy, ruling tendencies, or courtroom management can be documented. What is established is that Judge Sanchez DuFour brings a prosecutorial background to the bench, having spent his entire pre-judicial career in criminal prosecution at one of the largest district attorney's offices in the United States. Attorneys appearing before Judge Sanchez DuFour should treat this profile as a starting-point baseline. The absence of ruling data means that any tactical guidance must be supplemented through direct research into recent docket activity at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, consultation with colleagues who have appeared before him, and careful review of any tentative ruling practices he has established since taking the bench in late 2020.

Given that Judge Sanchez DuFour's entire documented pre-bench career was in criminal prosecution at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, attorneys in criminal matters should be prepared for a judge with deep familiarity with prosecutorial procedures, evidentiary standards, and the practical realities of criminal case management. Defense attorneys in particular should ensure their arguments are grounded in precise legal authority rather than broad equitable appeals, as a former prosecutor is well-versed in the mechanics of the charging and trial process. For civil practitioners, no ruling data exists from which to draw tactical conclusions. Attorneys should focus on procedural precision and thorough preparation of the record, as these are universally sound practices before any jurist. Until a body of rulings is available for analysis, the most reliable preparation strategy is to review the judge's recent tentative rulings on the court's online portal prior to any hearing. Attorneys should also note that Judge Sanchez DuFour was appointed in November 2020, meaning he has been on the bench for several years and has developed his own courtroom practices. Colleagues who have appeared before him at Stanley Mosk Courthouse are the most reliable current source of behavioral intelligence.

• critical

  Review Recent Tentative Rulings on Court Portal

  Before any hearing, check the LA Superior Court's online tentative ruling system for Judge Sanchez DuFour's department at Stanley Mosk Courthouse. This is the most direct available source of his current decisional patterns.

• critical

  Consult Colleagues With Recent Appearances

  Seek out attorneys who have appeared before Judge Sanchez DuFour since 2020 to gather firsthand observations about courtroom demeanor, preferred argument format, and procedural expectations.

• important

  Prepare Precise Legal Authority for Criminal Matters

  Given his prosecutorial background, ensure all criminal law arguments are supported by specific statutory citations and case law. A former Deputy DA will be familiar with common prosecutorial arguments and will expect defense counsel to meet that standard.

• important

  Review Department-Specific Local Rules

  Confirm the standing orders and local rules applicable to Judge Sanchez DuFour's specific department at Stanley Mosk Courthouse, as individual departments often have distinct procedural requirements.

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  Monitor Docket for Emerging Patterns

  Track publicly available docket entries and outcomes in Judge Sanchez DuFour's department to begin building a personal database of his ruling tendencies as data accumulates over time.

• ›Arrive fully prepared with all procedural requirements met, as a judge with a prosecutorial background is experienced in identifying unprepared counsel.
• ›Cite specific statutory authority and case law precisely — a former Deputy District Attorney is accustomed to rigorous legal citation standards.
• ›Consult the court's tentative ruling system before each hearing and be prepared to address the tentative directly and substantively.
• ›Follow all department-specific standing orders for Judge Sanchez DuFour's courtroom at Stanley Mosk Courthouse without exception.