Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Hon. Gerald G. Johnston (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Johnston joins JAMS after serving 24 years as a judge on the Orange County Superior Court.
From 2014 through 2023, Judge Johnston served as the supervising judge of the Probate and Mental Health Division of the Orange County Superior Court. From 2016 to 2019, he was appointed by the chief justice as a member of the Judicial Council Probate and Mental Health Advisory Committee. During his tenure on the bench, Judge Johnston oversaw thousands of trusts, probate, guardianship, conservatorship, elder abuse and mental health matters.
Based in the Orange County Resolution Center, Judge Johnston will serve as a mediator, arbitrator, hearing officer, temporary judge and judge pro tem, handling trusts, probate, conservatorship, elder abuse and mental health-related cases. He is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country.
Judge Johnston’s decades on the bench, combined with his experience as an educator and valued member of the Orange County legal community, make him a tremendous asset and addition to our panel. He is recognized for his skill handling cases related to trusts, probate, guardianship, elder abuse and mental health, and we look forward to working alongside him.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Johnston served as deputy secretary for law enforcement and general counsel for the California Environmental Protection Agency. He began his legal career as a deputy district attorney in Orange County. Over the past 20 years, he has taught trust, probate, conservatorship and mental health law and proceedings for the Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER).
The most satisfying experiences of my judicial career occurred when I could help parties find common ground to resolve difficult and long-standing issues in their court cases. I am so pleased I can continue these efforts at JAMS.
- Hon. Gerald G. Johnston (Ret.)
Judge Johnston earned his B.A., cum laude, from the University of Redlands and his J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.
Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, the latest technology and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.
With a roster of over 400 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person, virtual or hybrid hearings.
More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and our JAMS ADR blog. To learn about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at JAMS, visit www.jamsadr.com/diversity/.
