Michael Weinstein, Noncapital Habeas Unit Chief

Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Michael Weinstein, Supervising Deputy Federal Public Defender and the Chief of the Noncapital Habeas Unit with the Federal Public Defender, Central District of California, as Los Angeles County Superior Court judge.

Michael D. Weinstein, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Weinstein has served as Chief of the Noncapital Habeas Unit at the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Central District of California since 2022 and has served in several roles there since 2010. He served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable J. Spencer Letts at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 2009 to 2010 and for the Honorable Philip S. Gutierrez there from 2008 to 2009. Weinstein earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mary H. Strobel. Weinstein is a Democrat..

Read the official announcement from the California Governor’s office here.

Judge Weinstein joins an impressive list of former FPD-CDCA alumni who have become judges. See Former FPD-CDCA Attorneys Appointed to State and Federal Benches.