During his 20 years as a bench officer, Judge Cardenas tried court and jury trials involving construction defect issues to verdict. He was instrumental in developing new approaches to mediating construction defect cases such as bifurcating the roles of the Mediator and the Discovery Referee, as well as formulating new protocols to expedite the processing and settlement of cases.
Judge Cardenas has generated a new format for Case Management Orders that provides for less discovery, reduced disputes, and cost savings to all parties.
As a mediator, arbitrator, and Discovery Referee since 1996, Judge Cardenas has earned a reputation in Construction Defect Litigation for:
- Settling the vast majority of matters submitted for mediation
- Granting awards in arbitrations that reflect a philosophy of fairness and in-depth knowledge of the law
- Assisting the superior courts in complex litigation with scholarly reports and recommendations
- Actual or discovery referee and special master to assist counsel with CMO's and pre-trial disputes
Judge Cardenas is knowledgeable on related insurance issues such as coverage, exclusions, duty to defend, liability, subrogation, indemnification, additional insureds, excess coverage, risk transfers, allocation agreements, bad faith, and fair dealing.
Representative Mediations
- Cabinet, molding, flooring, tile, and other finish work matters
- Cases involving faulty electrical and heating issues
- Cases involving swimming pools, spas, fountains, decks, gazebos, fencing, and other landscaping issues
- Cases involving Uniform Building Code violations, engineering errors, structural weaknesses, defective plumbing, water seepage and leaks, drainage, catastrophic failure of retaining walls, and mold
- Commercial cases arising out of industrial and retail developments, such as warehouses, restaurants, and shopping malls
- Disputes arising from grading, paving, and concrete matters
- Disputes involving single family homes, condominiums, and farm-ranch facilities
- Matters involving large residential developments with issues from grading, to the completed structure
Representative Arbitrations
- Cabinet, molding, flooring, tile, and other finish work matters
- Cases involving faulty electrical and heating issues
- Cases involving swimming pools, spas, fountains, decks, gazebos, fencing, and other landscaping issues
- Cases involving Uniform Building Code violations, engineering errors, structural weaknesses, defective plumbing, water seepage and leaks, drainage, catastrophic failure of retaining walls, and mold
- Disputes involving single family homes, condominiums, and farm-ranch facilities
