Judge David C. Mathias

Education

David C. Mathias earned his B.A. from Occidental College in 1986. He went on to receive his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 1994. These degrees prepared him for a career in law and eventual judicial service in California.

Legal Career

After law school, Mathias was admitted to the California Bar in 1994. He began his legal career as a civil litigator. From 1995 to 2000, he worked at the Visalia law firm Hurlbutt, Clevenger, Long, Vortmann & Rauber, focusing on civil cases. In 2000 he opened his own law office and spent the next decade as a sole practitioner, handling a variety of civil matters. Through these roles he built extensive experience in California civil law before joining the judiciary.

Judicial Appointment and Service

In December 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Mathias to the Tulare County Superior Court, filling the vacancy left by retiring Judge Stephen Drew. Mathias was sworn in as a Superior Court judge soon thereafter. He subsequently won voter retention in the court’s nonpartisan elections (he ran unopposed in 2012 and was re-elected to full terms thereafter). His current term extends through 2025. During 2019–2020, Judge Mathias served as Assistant Presiding Judge of the court, a leadership role assisting with court administration and overseeing judicial operations.

Current Court Assignments

Judge Mathias presides in Department 1 (Visalia Division) of the Tulare County Superior Court. In this civil/general department he handles a North-County civil docket – specifically, all civil cases filed in Visalia whose plaintiff’s last name begins with A, B, C, or S. His responsibilities include civil case management conferences, motions, and trials. He also oversees a range of emergency and ancillary matters (such as guardianship hearings, minor’s compromises, and bench warrant hearings) for that group of cases. In addition, Judge Mathias hears certain family law matters on his Friday calendar (contested family law hearings) and handles restraining-order requests (workplace violence, gun violence, and many civil harassment petitions for his jurisdiction). He conducts unlawful detainer (eviction) trials and other civil matters. In summary, his assignment covers primarily civil cases and related family law proceedings in the northern part of Tulare County (including Visalia, Exeter, Dinuba, etc.).

Notable Cases

  • Tulare Regional Medical Center (TRMC) leadership case (2016): Judge Mathias handled a high-profile dispute involving the Tulare local hospital district and ousted medical staff leaders. In that case he denied a motion for a temporary restraining order to reinstate the former medical staff, effectively siding with the hospital board’s actions. This decision drew local media coverage during a contentious effort by the medical staff to challenge the board’s replacement of the hospital’s leadership.
  • Rawhide baseball stadium lease dispute (2023): Mathias presided over a civil trial between the City of Visalia and First Pitch Entertainment, the owners of the Visalia Rawhide minor-league baseball team. Both parties sought declaratory relief regarding a lease and renovation obligations. In a lengthy December 2023 ruling, Judge Mathias declined to grant relief to either side. Local reports noted that his written decision was “extensive” and carefully reasoned, resolving a major community dispute over the future of the stadium.
  • Beames v. City of Visalia (2019): This was a civil-rights lawsuit in which former city employees sued for alleged discrimination. Judge Mathias presided over the trial and issued a ruling in December 2019. (On appeal the case was later reversed and remanded, illustrating the appellate process for contested civil verdicts.)
  • Employment and class-action matters (2020s): Mathias has overseen several labor and consumer class-action cases. For example, he issued orders in multiple representative PAGA (wage-and-hour) cases and consumer fraud cases in recent years. These rulings appear in public reports of court verdicts and show his involvement in major civil class cases in Tulare County.

Judicial Conduct and Philosophy

Judge Mathias is known for a deliberate, detail-oriented approach. In complex civil cases he has issued thorough written opinions. For example, the Rawhide stadium case report described his ruling as well-organized and carefully supported by evidence. He is viewed in the local bar as a professional and fair-minded jurist. During his tenure as Assistant Presiding Judge, he was involved in managing court procedures and responding to case-backlog challenges (notably in family law during a time of staffing changes). While he has not publicized a personal judicial philosophy, Mathias is generally regarded as impartial and diligent. Attorneys note that he follows courtroom procedure closely, gives litigants opportunities to be heard, and bases decisions on the law and record evidence.

Community Involvement and Outreach

Judge Mathias maintains ties to the community and the legal profession beyond his courtroom. He participates in educational and mentorship activities. For example, he has taken part in school-based mock trial/sentencing programs (such as speaking at a high school DUI mock-sentencing event) to educate students about the justice system. He is also involved with the court’s mentoring initiatives to guide aspiring judges and lawyers. Mathias is a member of the California Bar and attends local bar association events; he has served on judicial committees and court task forces. Through these roles, he contributes to legal education and helps recruit and prepare the next generation of jurists in Tulare County.