San Mateo County (Redwood City) Superior Court
Career Highlights: Hon. Jonathan E. Karesh (Ret.) brings 40 years of judicial and legal experience to his mediator role. During his 24-year tenure on the San Mateo County Superior Court, he handled a broad range of civil cases, including personal injury matters, construction defect cases and high-stakes conservatorships. After being elected Presiding Judge of the court in late 2018, he helped lead a bench of 28 judges and 300 court staff through COVID, navigating the shutdown and reimagining court operations. He oversaw the safe resumption of jury trials by building out temporary courtrooms at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds and was widely recognized in California for his steady leadership and practical problem-solving during this period of uncertainty. From 2019 to 2023, Judge Karesh served on the Governor of California's Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.
Law School: UC Berkeley School of Law
Signature Resolution
Career Highlights: Hon. Jonathan E. Karesh (Ret.) brings 40 years of judicial and legal experience to his mediator role. During his 24-year tenure on the San Mateo County Superior Court, he handled a broad range of civil cases, including personal injury matters, construction defect cases and high-stakes conservatorships. After being elected Presiding Judge of the court in late 2018, he helped lead a bench of 28 judges and 300 court staff through COVID, navigating the shutdown and reimagining court operations. He oversaw the safe resumption of jury trials by building out temporary courtrooms at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds and was widely recognized in California for his steady leadership and practical problem-solving during this period of uncertainty. From 2019 to 2023, Judge Karesh served on the Governor of California's Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.
Law School: UC Berkeley School of Law
Signature Resolution
By Kevin Lee
Daily Journal Staff Writer
REDWOOD CITY - Jonathan E. Karesh was thinking long term when then-Gov. Gray Davis appointed him to the San Mateo County Superior Court in 2001.
"When I got the job, I said, 'This is the job I want to have when I retire,'" he said. "You really have a chance to craft solutions and focus on justice."
Eleven years later, Karesh continues to enjoy the variety of civil and criminal c... (continued)
