Associate Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst Retires

The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, announces the retirement of Associate Justice Judith Ashmann-Gerst, effective September 30, 2025.

Justice Ashmann-Gerst has served with distinction on the Court of Appeal since her appointment by Governor Gray Davis in December 2001. Her retirement marks the conclusion of nearly 24 years of exemplary service on the appellate bench and more than four decades of dedicated service to the California judiciary.

Justice Ashmann-Gerst's judicial career began with her appointment to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1981, followed by her election to the Superior Court in 1986. During her 18 years on the Superior Court, she primarily handled criminal matters in the San Fernando Valley, serving as the Supervising Judge of the North Valley District of the Superior Court. She later transferred downtown to preside over a fast-track civil caseload before her elevation to the Court of Appeal.

A 1965 graduate of UCLA, Justice Ashmann-Gerst earned her law degree magna cum laude from Whittier Law School in 1972 while working as a Deputy Probation Officer. She began her legal career with the State Attorney General's Office in Los Angeles, where she handled women's rights, civil rights, and consumer fraud issues. She later served as Special Counsel to City Attorney Burt Pines and as Executive Assistant at the United States Attorney's Office before joining the bench.

Justice Ashmann-Gerst has been a pioneering advocate for judicial education and court technology. She has taught ethics and computer use for judges, and served as an instructor at the California Judicial College and the Continuing Judicial Studies Program. She chaired the Judicial Technology Education Committee and served as a long-term member of the Court Technology Advisory Committee. In 2011, she was appointed to the California Judicial Council, the policy-making body of the California courts, where she served on its internal committees for Technology and Rules and Projects.

Justice Ashmann-Gerst has received numerous honors throughout her career, including San Fernando Valley Bar Association Judge of the Year in 1995, Los Angeles County Bar Association Criminal Section Judge of the Year in 1994, and San Fernando Criminal Courts Bar Judge of the Year for 1990-1991. She remains active in the legal community through her involvement with the National Association of Women Judges, California Women Lawyers, California Judges Association, and her service on the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

The Second Appellate District extends its deepest gratitude to Justice Ashmann-Gerst for her decades of service to the California judiciary. Her commitment to justice, her leadership in judicial education and court technology, and her dedication to mentoring the next generation of legal professionals have left an indelible mark on California's legal system. Her thoughtful opinions, her mastery of both criminal and civil law, and her unwavering dedication to the rule of law have earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues, the bar, and the community.

We wish Justice Ashmann-Gerst all the best in her well-deserved retirement.