Trial Lawyers Honor Judge Cloninger

Superior Court Judge James P. Cloninger has been honored by a diverse group of trial lawyers as Ventura County Judge of the Year.

Cloninger, 47, was recognized during an awards ceremony last week for his patience, intellect and courtesy toward litigants and attorneys who step into his courtroom.

A former prosecutor, he was described as a dedicated judge with a strong commitment to the law.

“I was very surprised and flattered,” Cloninger said of the award, which is bestowed annually by the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Assn.

Being recognized by the lawyers who come before him is a tremendous honor, the judge said, and a validation of a job he truly enjoys.

“To me it is very gratifying,” he said. “I think that the one thing I enjoy the most about being a judge is having the independence to decide things the way you think they should be decided. It is a neat job in the sense that you do what you think is right.”

In that respect, Cloninger said, being a judge is similar to his previous role as a prosecutor.

Before his appointment to the bench, Cloninger served as a deputy district attorney in Orange County and later Ventura County.

Cloninger graduated from UC Berkeley in 1974 and earned a law degree at Loyola University in Los Angeles in 1979. He spent 10 years as a prosecutor in Orange County, handling appeals as well as a few celebrated murder cases, before moving to Ventura County.

A few years after joining the district attorney’s office, Cloninger was appointed to the Ventura County Municipal Court by former Gov. Pete Wilson in 1994. He was elevated to the Superior Court the next year. For about the last four years, Cloninger has presided over criminal matters.

He is married and has two children, ages 10 and 11.