Judge William J. Schlaerth

Education: B.A. in History from UCLA; J.D. from Loyola Law School (Los Angeles).
Bar Admission: Admitted in California in 2002 (State Bar No. 219856).
Legal Career: Nearly two decades as a Kern County prosecutor (Deputy District Attorney). Served as a Supervising DDA in major units (including the Prisons Unit). Prosecuted dozens of jury trials (reports note ~75 trials, 13 murder cases).
Judicial Career: Elected Superior Court Judge in March 2024 and assumed office January 1, 2025 (six-year term ending January 2031). Assigned to the Lamont Branch Court; handles general civil/criminal trials and serves as backup for Penal Code 1172.6 resentencing cases.
Publications: Co-authored a December 2020 article on preventing bias in jury selection (California Lawyers Association Litigation Journal).
Reputation: Campaigned on public safety and rule-of-law values; endorsed by local officials. No public record of ethics violations or disciplinary actions; maintained an active, clean professional standing.

Education and Early Background

William J. Schlaerth earned his undergraduate degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 2002. Details of his early life and education beyond his alma maters are not widely published.

Legal and Professional Career

After graduating from law school, Schlaerth embarked on a career in criminal prosecution. He joined the Kern County District Attorney’s Office as a Deputy District Attorney and eventually rose to become a Supervising Deputy District Attorney. Over roughly 20 years in the DA’s office, he worked in several units (such as the Prisons Unit and others) and handled a broad array of felony cases. By the time of the 2020s, profiles of Schlaerth noted that he had participated in approximately 75 jury trials during his career, including on the order of 13 murder trials. In these roles he prosecuted serious violent crimes, managed legal staff, and contributed to policy and training initiatives within the office. He also engaged in professional activities outside the courtroom – for example, co-authoring a legal article in 2020 on preventing racial bias in jury selection, indicating active participation in continuing legal education and association publications.

Judicial Service

Schlaerth ran for the Kern County Superior Court bench in 2024. In the nonpartisan primary election on March 5, 2024, he won an outright majority and secured the judgeship. He officially began his term on January 1, 2025. California Superior Court judges serve six-year terms; Schlaerth’s current term is set to expire in January 2031. Upon taking office, the court assigned him to the Lamont Branch courthouse in eastern Kern County. Court listings show Judge Schlaerth presiding at the Lamont facility and serving as the designated backup judge for Penal Code section 1172.6 matters (felony-murder resentencing cases). In his courtroom duties, he handles a range of criminal and civil matters consistent with the court’s rotation, including family, juvenile, and limited civil cases typical of the Lamont calendar.

Notable Cases and Publications

As a prosecutor, Schlaerth’s casework included several high-profile and serious criminal matters. For example, local news coverage indicates he was lead prosecutor in a 2023 Lamont case where a defendant was tried for fatally intoxicated driving that killed three women. In addition, his trial record of dozens of felony cases – including multiple homicide prosecutions – was frequently mentioned in official biographies. While serving as a judge, Schlaerth has not authored any published appellate decisions (California trial court rulings are generally unpublished). However, his experience is reflected in published legal commentary: in December 2020 he co-wrote an article on preventing discrimination during jury selection, published in the California Lawyers Association’s litigation journal.

Reputation and Ethics

Throughout his career Schlaerth has been viewed as a law-and-order prosecutor with a commitment to community safety. During his 2024 campaign he emphasized respect for victims’ rights and adherence to the rule of law, themes consistent with his decades in the District Attorney’s Office. He received endorsements from several local elected officials (including state legislators) during the judicial race. Importantly, no news reports or official records indicate any disciplinary or ethical problems in his career. His bar registration is active and in good standing, and attorney directory profiles explicitly note “no misconduct” or sanctions. (A civil rights lawsuit filed against him in 2017 – a routine post-conviction claim – was dismissed by the court and involved no finding of wrongdoing.) In sum, available information portrays Judge Schlaerth as a respected legal professional known for integrity and a calm, firm courtroom manner.