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Aug. 3, 2026

Empathy forged by hardship shapes Judge Carmen Snuggs-Spraggins' courtroom

After years of balancing work, school and grueling commutes to earn her law degree, Orange County Judge Carmen D. Snuggs-Spraggins brings patience, practicality and a willingness to hear the person behind each case to her criminal courtroom.

Read more about Carmen D. Snuggs-Spraggins...
Empathy forged by hardship shapes Judge Carmen Snuggs-Spraggins' courtroom

Carmen D. Snuggs-Spraggins

Orange County Superior Court

Career Highlights: Elevated Orange County Superior Court judge by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Nov. 2025; commissioner, Orange County, 2024; administrative law judge II, Office of Administration Hearings, Los Angeles, 2016-24; deputy attorney general, California Department of Justice, Los Angeles, 2005-16; associate, Abeltin & Migoya LLP, Santa Ana, 2003-05; associate, law clerk, Law Offices of Gary S. Casselman, Los Angeles, 2002; law clerk, California Department of Justice, Los Angeles, 2002

Law School: Loyola Law School, 2002
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SANTA ANA -- Orange County Superior Court Judge Carmen D. Snuggs-Spraggins still remembers the unreliable 1977 Volkswagen Rabbit that repeatedly broke down during her commute from UC Irvine to her family's home in Cerritos. When the car failed, she spent up to six hours a day riding buses to and from school before heading to work. The experience taught her perseverance -- and, she said, gave her an appreciation for the hardships that people bring into her courtroom today. <... (continued)

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