James LaPorte biography


Age: 
57
Occupation: 
Kings County Superior Court Judge
Political experience: 
Kings County Superior Court Judge
Education: 
University of California Berkeley, BA; Economics 1972 Santa Clara University Law School, J.D Law 1975
Family: 
Married for 30 years to Joan LaPorte, a Public Health Nurse for Kings County Daughters: Danielle LaPorte, a 2007 University of Norte Dame MBA graduate; and Anne LaPorte, a first year law student at the University of Oregon Law School
Endorsements: 
Kings County Sheriff Chris Jordan Kings County Deputy Sheriffs Association Ruben Shortnacy Corcoran Police Officers Association Hanford Police Chief Carlos Mestas Hanford Police Officers Association Lemoore Police Chief Kimberly Morrell Lemoore Police Officers Association District Attorney Ronald Calhoun Assistant District Attorney Shane Burns Assistant District Attorney Michael Reinhart Kings County Prosecutors Association Justice Timothy Buckley, (retired) Fifth District Court of Appeal Judge Peter Schultz, Presiding Judge, Kings County Superior Court Judge Lynn Atkinson, Kings County Superior Court Judge Steven Barnes, Kings County Superior Court Judge Louis Bissig, Kings County Superior Court Judge Thomas DeSantos, Kings County Superior Court Judge George Orndoff, Kings County Superior Court Judge Ronald Maciel, (retired) Kings County Superior Court Judge John O'Rourke, (retired) Kings County Superior Court
Why are you running?: 

I am currently serving as a Kings County Superior Court Judge and would be honored to continue to do so.

I have been a Kings County Superior Court Judicial Officer for over 14 years. For 12 years I served as the sole Kings County Superior Court Commissioner and since 2005 I have served as a Kings County Superior Court Judge.

My early legal experience in Kings County began as a legal advisor to local law enforcement, fire, schools, and the jail during 12 years of service at the Kings County Counsel Office.

Since 1993, my legal career evolved from that of a lawyer to a jurist as a Kings County Superior Court Judicial Officer. My aim over these years has been to exercise judgment, but not personal will in applying the law to the facts of a case. I am grateful and privileged that I have had the opportunity to serve as a judge and to further the most fundamental aims of human rights, that of equality before the law and public safety and security. Consistent with the law, I desire to continue to rightly adjudicate the disputes between litigants and to render judgment on those who are proven to have done criminal wrong. My goal is to protect the rights of victims and the public.

As Justice Paul Turner observed: "Judges stand for justice, obedience to the law, dignity, safety and security for our families, love of the Constitution, and equal treatment under the law."