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Jan. 20, 2026

Superior Court Judge James Horan calls family law his 'best assignment ever'

Superior Court Judge James E. Horan's path from criminal defense to family law has been unconventional--and transformative.

Read more about James E. Horan...
Superior Court Judge James Horan calls family law his 'best assignment ever'
Los Angeles County Superior Court

Career Highlights: Appointed Los Angeles County Superior Court judge by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, June 2010; deputy alternate public defender, Los Angeles, 2000-10; deputy public defender, Los Angeles, 1996-2000; staff counsel, California Employment Development Department, 1990-96

Law School: Georgetown University Law Center, 1988

WHITTIER - Superior Court Judge James E. Horan's chambers are dimly lit, softening the edges of the room and making it feel less like a command post than a private workspace. A guitar sits within reach. Posters of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones hang like time stamps.

"I would have changed over the years from the fast 'Helter Skelter' version, which I loved back then, the distortion and all that, to now a little faster than the bluesy version,"... (continued)

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