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Jul. 2, 2026

A freeway shooting changed the course of Judge Bryan Clavecilla's life

The son of Filipino immigrants and a former gang member, Judge Bryan F. Clavecilla says his background gives him a unique perspective on prosecutorial discretion, bail decisions and helping people who feel marginalized.

Read more about Bryan F. Clavecilla...
A freeway shooting changed the course of Judge Bryan Clavecilla's life

Bryan F. Clavecilla

Orange County Superior Court

Career Highlights: Elevated Orange County Superior Court judge by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Jan. 29, 2024; commissioner, Orange County, 2024; assistant head of court, senior deputy district attorney, Orange County, 2007-2024

Law School: Chapman University Fowler School of Law, 2007
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SANTA ANA - As a teenager, Superior Court Judge Bryan F. Clavecilla stood holding a gun after rival gang members opened fire on his group along a Southern California freeway.

One friend had been shot in the back. Another had been shot in the arm. Clavecilla had been given the gun and told to retaliate.

"My task was to get revenge," he recalled. "And it was that night where I was seeing my mom crying every night. She sacrificed everything. So did... (continued)

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