Judge Susan Bryant-Deason

Judge Susan Bryant-Deason has served on the Los Angeles Superior Court since her appointment by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on March 20, 2006. Her pre-bench career included work as an associate at Sidley Austin from 1985 to 1992, followed by over a decade in private practice as a family law attorney from 1992 to 2006. Her docket at Stanley Mosk Courthouse has included complex civil litigation of significant scale and public interest, including an Avatar plagiarism lawsuit, a high-stakes brothers' dispute involving billions in diamonds and Los Angeles real estate, and an employment case that resulted in an $8.1 million jury award for a sheriff's deputy who reported misconduct — a verdict upheld on appeal in 2020. Judge Bryant-Deason's case history reflects sustained exposure to complex civil and employment litigation. The Avatar case generated a disqualification motion against her by the plaintiff, and the 2024 accusations of racial bias against Asian jurors and witnesses were publicly contested by prevailing counsel, who characterized them as unfounded and motivated by the losing parties' desire to save face. No judicial philosophy statement has been identified in available sources. With a background spanning BigLaw associate work and extended family law private practice, Judge Bryant-Deason brings both transactional and litigation-adjacent experience to the bench. Attorneys appearing before her should be prepared for a judge who has managed high-profile, factually complex matters involving significant financial stakes and contested credibility determinations.

Attorneys appearing before Judge Bryant-Deason should recognize that her docket has included some of the most factually dense and financially significant civil cases in Los Angeles Superior Court. The $8.1 million employment verdict upheld in 2020 demonstrates that her courtroom has produced substantial jury awards in employment misconduct cases, and attorneys on either side of such matters should prepare thorough evidentiary records and anticipate close scrutiny of witness credibility. The brothers' diamond and real estate dispute signals comfort with prolonged, multi-party litigation involving complex asset valuations. The 2024 racial bias allegations — disputed by winning counsel as unfounded — are a matter of public record that attorneys should be aware of, particularly in cases involving diverse juries or witnesses. Prevailing counsel's characterization of the allegations as face-saving by losing parties does not resolve the underlying dispute, and attorneys should ensure their own conduct and jury-related arguments are scrupulously documented. Any challenges to juror selection or witness treatment should be raised promptly on the record. Given Judge Bryant-Deason's pre-bench background in family law private practice and BigLaw associate work, attorneys should not assume familiarity with highly specialized technical or scientific subject matter without adequate foundation. In cases like the Avatar plagiarism matter — where creative and intellectual property concepts are at issue — counsel should invest in clear, accessible expert presentation rather than assuming judicial familiarity with industry-specific norms.

• critical

  Document All Jury-Related Proceedings Thoroughly

  Given the 2024 racial bias allegations involving juror and witness treatment, attorneys should create a complete record of all voir dire, juror challenges, and witness examination proceedings. This protects against post-verdict challenges and demonstrates good faith.

• critical

  Prepare for Factually Dense, High-Stakes Litigation

  Judge Bryant-Deason's case history includes multi-billion-dollar asset disputes and complex intellectual property claims. Attorneys should organize factual presentations with precision and anticipate a judge experienced in managing voluminous records.

• important

  Evaluate Disqualification and Recusal Issues Early

  A prior disqualification motion was filed against Judge Bryant-Deason in the Avatar case. Attorneys should assess any potential grounds for recusal or disqualification at the outset of the case and raise them promptly if warranted.

• important

  Invest in Accessible Expert Testimony

  Cases before Judge Bryant-Deason have involved specialized subject matter including intellectual property and complex asset valuation. Attorneys should ensure expert witnesses present technical material in a clear, foundational manner rather than assuming judicial familiarity.

• important

  Build a Complete Appellate Record from Day One

  The scale of verdicts in her courtroom — including an $8.1 million employment award — means losing parties have strong incentives to appeal. Attorneys should preserve all objections and ensure the record supports the outcome they seek.

• ›Maintain scrupulous professionalism in all interactions involving jurors and witnesses, given the public record of bias allegations in 2024 — any conduct that could be characterized as differential treatment should be avoided.
• ›Be prepared for a judge experienced with prolonged, complex litigation; do not expect shortcuts in case management or abbreviated treatment of factually dense records.
• ›Raise procedural or disqualification concerns promptly and on the record rather than reserving them for post-verdict motions, consistent with the pattern of formal challenges seen in her notable cases.
• ›Present technical or specialized subject matter with full foundational context, as her background is in family law and general civil litigation rather than specialized technical fields.