Judge Susan J. De Witt

Judge Susan J. De Witt serves on the Los Angeles Superior Court at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, having been appointed to the bench in December 2017. She was among six individuals appointed to the Los Angeles Superior Court at that time, as reported by the Metropolitan News-Enterprise and Patch. Her appointment-track background places her within a cohort of jurists selected through the executive appointment process rather than through contested election. The available case record reflects that Judge De Witt has presided over high-profile and complex criminal matters. Her docket includes the murder case involving the ex-wife of slain Woodland Hills doctor Hamid Mirshojae (December 2024), felony charges against Diana Teran, a Gascón advisor and LA prosecutor (July 2024), and a police shooting case involving the wife of a Weezer bassist. These cases share a common thread: significant public and media attention, legally complex fact patterns, and matters involving individuals with public profiles or institutional connections. Because no analyzed rulings, attorney observations, or ingested content are available, no conclusions can be drawn about her specific ruling tendencies, evidentiary preferences, or procedural style. Attorneys should treat the information below as baseline orientation derived solely from her appointment history and publicly reported case assignments, and should conduct independent research before any appearance.

Given that Judge De Witt's confirmed docket includes high-profile criminal cases with significant media exposure, attorneys appearing before her in criminal matters should be prepared for proceedings conducted with heightened attention to decorum and procedural precision. Cases involving public figures or matters of public interest demand thorough preparation and professional presentation, as such proceedings are subject to scrutiny beyond the courtroom. No ruling analyses or attorney observations are available to support specific guidance on argument style, motion practice preferences, or evidentiary rulings. Attorneys should not rely on assumptions about her judicial philosophy. Instead, reviewing the public docket records for her specific courtroom, consulting colleagues who have appeared before her, and reviewing any available tentative ruling records through the Los Angeles Superior Court system are the most reliable preparation steps available at this time. For criminal matters specifically, the nature of her confirmed case assignments — including murder cases and felony prosecutions involving legally sophisticated defendants — suggests she manages complex criminal litigation. Attorneys should ensure all filings are procedurally compliant with Los Angeles Superior Court local rules and that factual records are meticulously documented.

• critical

  Review Public Docket for Her Courtroom

  Access the Los Angeles Superior Court's online docket system to review recent case filings and orders from her courtroom. This is the most direct available source of her procedural preferences and ruling patterns given the absence of analyzed data.

• critical

  Consult Attorneys with Direct Appearance Experience

  Seek out colleagues who have appeared before Judge De Witt, particularly in criminal matters, to obtain firsthand accounts of her courtroom expectations and procedural style.

• critical

  Ensure Full Compliance with LA Superior Court Local Rules

  Given the absence of specific data on her preferences, strict compliance with all applicable local rules and standing orders is the baseline standard. Deviations carry unquantifiable risk.

• important

  Prepare for Media-Aware Proceedings

  Her confirmed high-profile cases indicate experience with media-attended proceedings. Attorneys should be prepared for courtroom protocols associated with public-interest litigation, including potential press presence.

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  Research Her Appointment Background

  Review the Metropolitan News-Enterprise and Patch reporting from December 2017 regarding her appointment for any additional background details that may inform her judicial orientation.

• ›Maintain strict professional decorum; her high-profile criminal docket reflects a courtroom environment subject to public and media scrutiny.
• ›Arrive fully prepared on procedural and substantive issues; complex criminal matters on her docket suggest she expects counsel to be thoroughly versed in the record.
• ›Follow all Los Angeles Superior Court standing orders and local rules precisely, as no data exists to suggest any informal exceptions or accommodations she extends to counsel.