Jennifer R.S. Detjen

Justice Detjen was nominated to the position of associate justice of the Court of Appeal by Governor Schwarzenegger and confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments in 2010. She was appointed to the Madera Superior Court bench by Governor Davis in 2000 and served there as a trial court judge for over nine years. While on the trial court bench, she served for two years as presiding judge and was the presiding judge of its appellate bench when she was elevated to the Court of Appeal.

Throughout her judicial career, she has sat on numerous working groups, committees, and subcommittees pertaining to the administration of both the Fifth District Court of Appeal and the statewide judicial branch. She has served as a hearing judge on the Labor and Information Dispute Panel, as Special Master on proceedings instituted by the Commission on Judicial Performance, and has filled in, pro tempore, on the California Supreme Court.

Prior to her judicial career, she prosecuted criminal cases as a Senior Deputy District Attorney for the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office (1985-2000) and as a Deputy District Attorney for the Madera County District Attorney’s Office (1982-1985). In 1993, she was certified as a specialist in criminal law and, in 2004, she was recognized for “outstanding service” by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. Her last six years as a litigator were spent prosecuting homicide cases.

She was born in Lancaster where her father, an aeronautical engineer, was manager of an Allison flight test group at Edwards Air Force Base. She attended public schools, obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Washington, and received her Degree of Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego.

Her husband is a native of the Central Valley having been the son and grandson of local farmers. He is retired from public service. Her grown stepchildren are engaged in public service careers.