Commissioner Gina Cervantes

Earned B.A. in Psychology (California State University, Fresno, 1996) and J.D. from California Pacific School of Law (Bakersfield).
Admitted to the California State Bar in May 2004.
Practiced civil law in private firms: Associate at Borton Petrini, LLP (2002–2010) and at Thomas Anton & Associates (2011–2015); briefly ran her own law office (2010–2011).
Served as Staff Attorney at Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance (nonprofit legal aid) from 2015 to 2018.
Joined Kern Superior Court staff in 2019 as an Associate Attorney, later promoted to Senior Attorney; also served as the court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) coordinator.
Appointed by the Kern County Superior Court judges as a Court Commissioner in 2022.
Assigned to Division L (Metropolitan Justice Building, Bakersfield): presides over small claims, limited civil cases, unlawful detainer (evictions), and labor appeals.
Member of the California Judicial Council’s Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee.

Background and Education

Gina M. Cervantes is a Bakersfield-area native who completed her undergraduate education at California State University, Fresno, earning a B.A. in Psychology in 1996. She went on to attend California Pacific School of Law in Bakersfield, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree. Cervantes was admitted to practice law by the State Bar of California in May 2004, formally beginning her legal career in Kern County.

Legal Career and Experience

After law school, Cervantes spent over a decade in private practice in Bakersfield. From 2002 to 2010 she worked as an associate at Borton Petrini, LLP, a Bakersfield law firm where she handled various civil litigation matters. She then operated a solo law practice for about a year (2010–2011) before becoming an associate attorney at Thomas Anton & Associates in late 2011. At Thomas Anton (a family and civil law firm) she worked on issues such as domestic relations and civil litigation through mid-2015.

In 2019 Cervantes transitioned to public service at the Kern County Superior Court. She was hired as an Associate Attorney for the court’s legal staff, later earning promotion to Senior Attorney. In her court role she also served as the court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Coordinator. As ADR Coordinator and a senior court attorney, she managed the court’s mediation and dispute resolution programs and helped oversee civil and small claims case management. In addition, she worked as a self-help attorney, assisting self-represented litigants with civil matters. By 2021 she had become one of the court’s senior legal officers, handling research, motion calendars, and public counsel needs for the judiciary.

Work with Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance (GBLA)

From mid-2015 through late 2018, Cervantes worked as a staff attorney for Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance (GBLA). GBLA is a nonprofit legal services agency providing free civil legal aid to qualifying low-income and elderly residents of Kern County. In this capacity she provided legal counsel and representation in the core areas GBLA serves. These areas include family law and children’s issues (such as custody and visitation), domestic violence protection, fair housing and landlord-tenant (eviction) matters, elder abuse and public-benefit cases. She handled initial client interviews, drafted pleadings, and represented GBLA’s clients in court when possible. By working at GBLA, Cervantes gained extensive experience advocating for vulnerable community members, which broadened her perspective on access to justice and the needs of self-represented parties.

Judicial Appointment

In 2022, the judges of the Kern County Superior Court appointed Gina M. Cervantes to serve as a Court Commissioner. This internal court selection elevated her to judicial office, following her years of service as a court attorney. She took the oath of office that year and joined the court’s bench as one of its Commissioners. (Court Commissioners are judicial officers with authority similar to judges in the matters assigned to them.) Cervantes’s appointment recognized her legal experience and expertise. She became one of the court’s judicial officers and began presiding in the trial courts on matters within her assigned jurisdiction.

Courtroom Assignment and Responsibilities

Commissioner Cervantes is currently assigned to Division L at the Metropolitan Justice Building in downtown Bakersfield. In this division she presides over cases in several specific categories. Her docket includes small claims cases (civil disputes up to $10,000 in Bakersfield), civil limited jurisdiction cases (cases with damages up to $25,000), unlawful detainer (eviction) proceedings, and labor appeals (claims by workers against denial of unemployment or workers’ compensation benefits). In practice, she conducts hearings and trials for these matters, rules on motions and evidentiary issues, and manages case conferences and calendars. Division L handles the early stages and trials of these disputes; for example, a tenant eviction case or a small claims lawsuit. Cervantes’s daily responsibilities include setting trial dates, resolving interim issues (like temporary hearings and show-cause orders), and ensuring that litigants, especially those without attorneys, understand the court process. Her role emphasizes efficient resolution of minor civil disputes while upholding proper legal procedures.

Judicial Reputation and Temperament

Public information about Commissioner Cervantes’s personal courtroom style is limited, as she generally conducts routine civil and self-help matters rather than high-profile cases. She is known in the legal community primarily through her previous roles as a court attorney and legal aid attorney. The qualities valued in those roles – patience, clarity in explaining the law, and a problem-solving approach – likely carry over to her work on the bench. Colleagues note that as ADR Coordinator she focused on collaboration, which suggests she favors an approachable and cooperative manner with disputing parties. As a judicial officer, Cervantes is expected to display impartiality, integrity and courtesy under the California Code of Judicial Ethics. There are no reports or records of any public complaints or controversies involving her. In short, she is regarded as a fair-minded and conscientious commissioner who adheres to professional standards and treats all litigants with respect.

Ethics and Community Involvement

Cervantes has demonstrated a commitment to legal ethics and community service throughout her career. She maintains good standing with the State Bar of California – her bar profile shows no disciplinary actions, and her license was voluntarily made inactive after she became a commissioner. As a Commissioner, she is bound by judicial ethical rules which require impartiality, avoidance of conflicts of interest, and prompt disposition of matters. In addition to her courtroom duties, Cervantes has been active in broader judicial committees. Notably, she serves on the Judicial Council’s Civil and Small Claims Advisory Committee, a statewide body that recommends improvements to civil case procedures. This committee role reflects her engagement with improving the justice system for Californians. She also participated in the state’s Sargent Shriver Civil Counsel eviction defense program (as indicated by her role as a self-help attorney on eviction cases), furthering tenant and landlord access to legal help. Her years at GBLA and her work in the self-help center highlight her service to underserved populations. In summary, there are no public ethics issues on record for Commissioner Cervantes, and her professional activities show a dedication to community-focused legal service.

Summary

Commissioner Gina M. Cervantes is a Bakersfield-based legal professional with deep ties to Kern County’s judicial system. After earning her law degree locally and practicing in private firms and her own office, she spent three years as a nonprofit legal aid attorney advocating for low-income clients. She then joined the Kern Superior Court staff, rising to Senior Attorney and ADR Coordinator. In 2022 she was elevated to the bench as a Court Commissioner. Today she oversees small claims, limited civil, eviction, and labor appeal cases in Division L of the Bakersfield courthouse. Commissioner Cervantes also contributes to statewide judicial policymaking through her committee work. Her varied background – from trial advocacy to mediation to legal aid – underpins a reputation for professionalism and fairness. Throughout her career she has shown a commitment to access to justice and ethical conduct. In her current role, she continues to serve the community by helping resolve everyday civil disputes, drawing on decades of legal experience and local insight.