Hon. Marla O. Anderson (Ret.)

Hon. Marla O. Anderson (Ret.) joins JAMS after almost 30 years as a judge. Judge Anderson brings her collective leadership skills as a court, judicial education and judicial branch leader. While on the Monterey County Superior Court, she presided over each of the court’s calendars and served as presiding judge. She also served as faculty as well as dean of the Witkin Judicial College of California. For 10 years, she served on the Judicial Council of California, the policymaking body of California’s court system. In addition to serving on its various committees, she served as chair of the Litigation Management Committee, which oversees litigation and claims against the trial and appellate courts, the Judicial Council and employees of those bodies that seek recovery of $100,000 or more or raise important policy issues. Judge Anderson also chaired the Legislation Committee, where she was instrumental in helping to pass key judicial reforms in California. Prior to the bench, Judge Anderson began her legal career as an associate attorney with Sacramento law firm Weintraub, Genshlea, Hardy, Erich & Brown. She subsequently joined the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, where she tried many cases as a deputy district attorney prior to appointment to the bench. Judge Anderson is collaborative and insightful when mediating. She has “the unique ability to take difficult issues, break them down into manageable components and then facilitate a candid and intelligent discussion about solutions.” She is “adept at drilling down on what matters and closing the gap between opposing interests.” She is known in the legal community as thorough, well prepared, fair and impartial. The following case types were handled by Judge Anderson as a jurist.