Judge Terrie E. Roberts

Judge Terrie E. Roberts serves on the San Diego County Superior Court, having been appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 25, 2019. Her appointment was part of a broader announcement in which she was recognized as one of two Black women appointed to California Superior Court judgeships, reflecting the significance of her appointment within the state's judicial landscape. The available data confirms her assignment to family law matters, including child support proceedings. A 2024 case involving an unemployed father's burden to lower child support indicates she has handled contested family law disputes requiring analysis of financial circumstances and statutory standards. Judge Roberts was referenced in two Daily Journal articles from June 2024 titled 'Remember to Breathe' and 'Lasting Orders,' both of which suggest continued engagement with family law subject matter. Beyond these confirmed data points, no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content are available to characterize her judicial philosophy, ruling tendencies, or courtroom preferences in detail. Given the limited data available, attorneys should treat this profile as a foundational starting point and supplement it with direct research into San Diego Superior Court family law local rules, recent docket activity, and colleague observations before appearing before Judge Roberts.

The confirmed data establishes that Judge Roberts presides over family law matters, including child support cases. Attorneys appearing in child support proceedings before her should be prepared to address the statutory framework governing modification requests, including the burden of proof placed on the moving party to demonstrate a material change in circumstances. The 2024 case involving an unemployed father's burden to lower child support signals that she has engaged with the specific legal standards governing downward modification requests, so attorneys on either side of such disputes should arrive with thorough documentation of financial circumstances and relevant case law. Beyond this single confirmed case type, no ruling pattern data is available to guide argument style, preferred motion formats, or courtroom demeanor preferences. Attorneys should consult San Diego Superior Court's local rules for family law departments and review any standing orders issued by Judge Roberts's department directly. Colleagues who have appeared before her recently represent the most reliable supplemental source of tactical intelligence at this time. Given her appointment in 2019, Judge Roberts has been on the bench for approximately five years. Attorneys should not assume familiarity shortcuts and should present arguments with full statutory and factual support rather than relying on shorthand or assumed judicial knowledge of prior proceedings.

• critical

  Review San Diego Superior Court Family Law Local Rules

  No standing orders or department-specific preferences are available in the current data. Attorneys must independently obtain and review any local rules or standing orders for Judge Roberts's department before appearing.

• critical

  Prepare Full Financial Documentation in Child Support Matters

  The confirmed 2024 case involved contested child support modification based on unemployment. Any party seeking modification must arrive with comprehensive, current financial documentation to meet the applicable burden of proof.

• important

  Research Recent Docket Activity

  With no ruling analyses in this profile, attorneys should independently review recent docket entries and publicly available orders from Judge Roberts's courtroom to identify any emerging patterns.

• important

  Consult Colleagues with Recent Appearances

  Attorney observations are entirely absent from this profile. Colleagues who have recently appeared before Judge Roberts represent the most direct source of courtroom-specific intelligence.

• Nice

  Review Daily Journal Articles Referenced in Profile

  Two June 2024 Daily Journal articles titled 'Remember to Breathe' and 'Lasting Orders' reference Judge Roberts. Reviewing these articles may provide additional context about her judicial perspective or areas of focus.

• ›Follow all San Diego Superior Court general courtroom decorum rules, as no department-specific etiquette data is available from this profile.
• ›Arrive fully prepared with statutory citations and factual documentation, as the confirmed case type involves burden-of-proof disputes where evidentiary gaps are consequential.
• ›Do not assume informal familiarity with prior proceedings; present each argument with complete context and supporting authority.