Hon. Read Ambler (Ret.)

Judge Ambler has presided over thousands of civil cases during his 30 years as a trial lawyer, judge, and ADR specialist. As Presiding Judge of the Santa Clara Superior Court, he managed both the civil and criminal trial calendars and also served as sole Civil Master Settlement Conference Judge. As Civil Division Supervising Judge, he handled settlement, case management, and civil law and motion in thousands of cases, including intellectual property and other trade secret, employment, discrimination, commercial, medical and legal malpractice, personal injury, fraud, and other disputes. He also had extensive trial experience as an attorney before his appointment to the bench and had a substantial family law practice.

Since joining JAMS as full-time neutral in March 2000, Judge Ambler has served as a private judge in three family law cases and has tried one complex and prominent probate case. He has served as Special Master in two significant federal cases in the USDC (N.D. CA), as Private Judge or Discovery Referee selected by the parties and the courts in numerous cases in six Bay Area counties, and as an Administrative Hearing Officer for the City of San Jose in two high-profile cases involving the operation of local card rooms.

Judge Ambler has also successfully resolved hundreds of cases as a mediator or arbitrator. He has extensive experience resolving business and commercial, employment, intellectual property, and real property cases through mediation and arbitration. Judge Ambler is recognized by San Jose Magazine as one of the top mediators in Silicon Valley (2002-present).

Special Master/Discovery Referee, Representative Matters

• San Francisco County Superior Court (CCP 638 General Referee): Del Grande, Kevan, et al., vs. R.C. Chronicle Building, L.P., et al. (CPF 09-509429)
• Federal (Special Master): Eap/Wyckoff, et al., vs. USA/Sperl, et al. (C-07-3600 SI and C-07-2301 SI)
• San Mateo County Superior Court (CCP 638 Discovery Referee): Actuate Corporation vs. Oracle USA, Inc. (CIV 481387)
• Federal (Special Master): In Re: eBay Seller Antitrust Litigation (07CV01882JF RS)
• Alameda County Superior Court (CCP 638 Discovery Referee): Partridge, Dina, et al., vs. Hott Wings, Inc., et al. (RG 09454660)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP 638 General Referee): Heritage Bank of Commerce vs. Del Biaggio, William Del J. (1-08-CV-113746)
• Sacramento County Superior Court (CCP 638 General Referee): Mechanics Bank, etc., vs. Kobra Properties, etc., et al (34-2008-00020015)
• Alameda Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Oz Optics, Inc., et al. v. Oplink Communications, et al. (01-034488)
• City of San Jose (Administrative Hearing Officer): In re Application of Frederick S. Wyle, as Chapter 11 Trustee of Garden City, Inc., for Hardship Extension Pursuant to Chapter 16.20 of the San Jose Municipal Code
• City of San Jose (Administrative Hearing Officer): In re Application of Sutter's Place, Inc., dba Bay 101 et al. for Hardship Extension Pursuant to Chapter 16.20 of the San Jose Municipal Code
• Federal (Special Master): Affymetrix, Inc. v. Synteni, Inc. and Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (C-99-21164 JF)
• Federal (Special Master): Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. v. Rambus, Inc. (C 00-20905 RMW)
• Napa Superior Court (CCP § 638 Private Judge): Solomon Tsai and Napa River Hotel Group LLC v. Napa River, LLC, et al. (26-11726)
• San Francisco County Superior Court (CCP § 639 Private Judge): Victa v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. (301998)
• San Mateo County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Marriage of Word (062042) (Financial issues in substantial family law matter, still pending trial)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Acropolis Systems, Inc. v. Synergistic Computer Solutions, Inc., et al. (CV787968)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Cheryl J. v. Summerwood Investments, et al. (CV771301)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Lochard v. Stanford University, et al. (CV777668)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Synopsys, Inc. v. Nassda Corporation, et al. (CV787950)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Private Judge): In re Irrevocable Trust of Edmund A. Mirassou et al. (I-01-PR-150254) (Petition to remove and surcharge trustee of substantial family trust)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Private Judge): In re Matter of Levinson (100-CP009505) (custody dispute between natural mother and her partner, the adoptive mother)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Private Judge): Raymond A. Miller v. Augustino Carcione, Sr. et al. (CV 794669)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 639 Discovery Referee): AEI v. Google (104 CV 020368)
• Santa Clara County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Private Judge): Marriage of Blatt (1-01-FL-101964) (Pereira-Van Camp issues)
• Sonoma County Superior Court (CCP § 638 Discovery Referee): Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. v. Cierra Photonics, Inc. (225419)