The Honorable Richard Y. Lee
Judge, Orange County Superior Court, Santa Ana
Background:
In August 2010, the Honorable Richard Y. Lee was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve as a Superior Court Judge in Orange County, California. Judge Lee currently presides over unlimited civil matters at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, California. Previously, Judge Lee presided over criminal matters, including felony and misdemeanor trials and hearings. In addition, Judge Lee previously presided over juvenile dependency and juvenile delinquency trials and hearings. Judge Lee also served as the Supervising Judge of the West Justice Center in Westminster, California. He also presided over appellate matters as a judge on the Appellate Division of the Superior Court.
Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Lee worked for approximately 10 years as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Judge Lee also worked as an employment attorney at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky, & Walker LLP and previously clerked for two Superior Court Judges in Los Angeles.
Judge Lee earned his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology from Stanford University.
Judge Lee has received numerous awards including the 2016 West Orange County Bar Association Franklin G. West Judge of the Year award and the 2013 Constitutional Rights Foundation James P. Gray Judge of the Year award.