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Thomas DeSantos↗
Associate Justice
Full 12-year termTrellis trial record
Hanford private-practice lawyer for over 20 years; Kings County trial judge 2003 to 2018, presiding judge 2012 to 2014. No widely reported appellate rulings; no discipline found.
On your ballot. Vote Yes or No on keeping Thomas DeSantos on the court (full 12-year term). Appears on ballots in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne.
Qualifications
Appointment. Appointed by Gov. Brown, 2018. Retained 2018 (64%).
Outside rating. None found. The State Bar rates nominees before appointment, but we could not find this rating in public sources.
Before the bench. Private practice in Hanford 1981 to 2003 (criminal, family, juvenile, government law). Kings County Superior Court judge 2003 to 2018; presiding judge 2012 to 2014.
Conduct
No public discipline or controversies found.
What others recommend
- YesIndivisible Marin (Yes on all California justices) (progressive group)
- YesCraig Huey voter guide (conservative guide)
- NoReform California (conservative guide)
In this district, we found published positions mainly from conservative and Republican groups. Most Democratic, progressive and newspaper groups here had not published positions on these justices as of October 16.
Robyn Nordell's conservative guide repeats Craig Huey's picks, so it is not listed separately.
Trellis does not make recommendations. These are positions published by outside groups as of October 16, 2026. Labels describe each group's general leaning.
Notable rulings
No widely reported rulings found.
From the trial court record
Mostly heard criminal cases. Granted motions somewhat more often than the county average, and cases took about as long as the county average.
Their trial court record, compared with other judges in the county
Bars compare this judge with county and state averages. Differences usually reflect the kinds of cases a judge was assigned.
Motions granted
Average case length
Time to trial
Caseload mix
Criminal 80.8%, Torts 4.3%, Family 4.2%
| Motion type | Granted | Rulings | County avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motion to dismiss | 85.8% | 24 | 70.5% |
Kings County Superior CourtUpdated 2026-10-02 · Full profile →
Sources: Court bio
Others on the same ballot
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- Mark W. SnaufferFresno civil litigator for 23 years; Fresno trial judge 2000 to 2018. Reversed an order keeping Kern River water flowing for fish; now under Supreme Court review.
- Amy K. GuerraFormer chief defense attorney at Fresno's Alternate Defense Office; Fresno family law and domestic violence judge 2018 to 2026. Appointed 2026; no widely reported appellate rulings yet.
- Kathleen A. MeehanFormer securities litigator and deputy attorney general; Fresno commissioner and judge 2011 to 2017. Reversed a ruling for a baker who refused a same-sex couple's wedding cake.