Update: As of January 1, 2025 Judge Michelle DeCasas is no longer in the Santa Clarita Court. This post was written while the Judge was assigned to that Court.
Judge DeCasas was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2020. She is currently sitting as Judge in Division 3 of the Santa Clarita Courthouse.
Judge DeCasas was a Deputy City Attorney for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Prosecutor, prior to her appointment to the bench.
The Honorable Judge DeCasas was well respected by the defense bar as a prosecutor and enjoyed a reputation as being fair and pleasant.
This Judge runs her courtroom efficiently. Most of the cases she currently handles are criminal cases and since Santa Clarita handles only misdemeanors, the majority of the cases are DUI, Domestic Violence and other Penal and Vehicle Code violations.
Judge DeCasas expects attorneys to be on time, particularly when the case is set for trial. Continuance requests need to conform with statutory requirements and be in the form of a written motion.
Judge Michelle DeCasas has the willingness to do what the law requires a judge to do even though the course the judge must follow is not the popular one. She also has Integrity, which is not being influenced by the identity, race, gender, political status, wealth or relationship of the party or lawyer before the Court.
As a criminal defense attorney, counsel has made a number of appearances in her court and each time has been pleasant. Judge DeCasas has a good demeanor, is open-minded, and listens to both sides carefully before making her decisions. Since she has a background in criminal prosecution, she is able to quickly resolve most matters that come before her and does so with patience, compassion and a good knowledge of the law. This Judge is intelligent and has a good sense of perspective.
Bottom line, from this criminal defense lawyer’s perspective, if you are in this Courtroom on a criminal case, for trial or hearing, you are in a good place and can expect impartiality and a fair opportunity to present your case.
Matthew Ruff is a Top Tier Criminal Defense Attorney and Santa Clarita DUI Lawyer with 30 years experience representing good folks accused of violating the laws in California.
