The Little Girl Who Fled Iran Has Become a Role-Model Bench Officer

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Special Section

PERSONALITY PROFILE

KARIN BORZAKIAN

The Little Girl Who Fled Iran Has Become a Role-Model Bench Officer

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Karin Borzakian underwent a life-shaping experience on a day in 1979. As she recounts it:

I was seven years old, oblivious to consequences of the ensuing revolution rapidly developing outside on the streets of my home in Tehran, Iran. I was in my home that evening and was hosting a tea party for my favorite dolls. While tending to my tea party by kerosene light, I heard rumblings in my home, hurried footsteps on the wooden floors, and heard my father and mother arguing. I heard panic in their voices which continued to rise. I listened to the rushed footsteps as they came closer to my door, saw my door thrust open and saw my father. With no warning, I was bundled up in my snow jacket and ear muffs, and along with my two siblings, was huddled on the streets of Tehran, amidst throngs of chanting protestors and rioters.

I was told that we were going to America. Despite my cries of protest, I was forced to leave behind my dolls and my belongings. I was thrust into the streets, holding hands with my nervously rushing parents and siblings who were both oddly silent. The atmosphere in the streets was chaotic, with loud bursting noises from guns and shrill whistles announcing the arrival of bombs. The streets were littered with tires on fire and choking smoke rising as they burned.

We arrived at the crowded airport in Tehran, stumbling over people and luggage as my father dragged us quickly toward the luggage carousel. We hopped inside the carousel and crawled our way in the darkness to a luggage compartment. We waited in the dark for a short time, until we were moved to the passenger compartment of an airplane minutes before take-off.

We all made it on the plane, except my father who was left behind. We were separated and seated in the plane. I could see my mother, sitting close behind me in a seat surrounded by strangers, silently crying. Unbeknownst to me at the time, we had crawled our way through the luggage carousel onto the last flight that was to leave Iran for a long time. I believe that it was every detail of that very day that began to shape my character, my personality and paved the road to my life experiences.

One detail of that event that Borzakian does not recall is the precise date. But why would she? She was age 7, not taking notes, and her immediate objective that night was to provide an enjoyable tea party for her dolls.

—AP

In this Feb. 12,1979 file photo, armed rebels, one wearing a gas mask, ride in a truck near the headquarters of Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran, Iran. Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Karin Borzakian fled Tehran, coming to the U.S. with her mother and a sister and brother.

Borzakian reflects:

“During the years after my immigration to the United States, I faced the challenges of learning English while simultaneously attempting to assimilate into a different culture while attending school. I struggled in my attempt to assimilate at school, while at home my parents’ cultural outlook conflicted with my efforts. It is from these struggles that I learned to respect different opinions and views. I learned the value of both people and patience.”

Although English is a second language to her—her native tongue is Armenian—no one would detect from her speech or writings that she is not a native-born American. In fact, as an adjunct professor at Whittier Law School in 2004–08, she instructed students on the drafting of pleadings and, in particular, writing clearly and concisely to effectively communicate analyses of law and facts.


Borzakian is seen at the age of 7 after arriving in the United States.

Her current role as a commissioner—in which, by all accounts, she excels—was preceded by roughly eight years as a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, from June 1, 2008 to March 25, 2016, which followed nine years as an attorney for the Los Angeles Superior Court, from March 15, 1999 to March 30, 2008, serving in the Civil Department, then the Criminal Courts.

On March 29. 2008, the day before she left the Los Angeles Superior Court as a research attorney, a good-bye lunch was held in Borzakian’s honor in Department 100 of the Foltz Courthouse. In the photo above, taken at that lunch, she is flanked by her parents, Elizabeth Borzakian and Vartkes Borzakian. Her father, now deceased, was a civil engineer with a Ph.D. both in mathematics and engineering.

Seen with Borzakian at the farewell lunch are, from left, then-Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley, now retired, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ruth Kwan, and U.S. District Court Judge Dale S. Discher of the Central District of California.

During five of the years she worked for the court, Borzakian was a judicial media attorney. The commissioner comments:

“Navigating First Amendment issues—public access, media rights, transparency—taught me how the judiciary must protect not only individual rights but also public trust in the system.”

Attended Pepperdine

Her experience in the legal field, in a formal sense, began with studies at Pepperdine School of Law from Aug.1, 1994 to June 16, 1997. She was a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honors Society and was assistant editor-in-chief of The Cross Examiner, the school newspaper.

While at Pepperdine, she was a law clerk for the federal Office of Attorney General, serving the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

A classmate of hers at Pepperdine was Lisa Grace-Kellogg (daughter of the co-publishers of the MetNews.). Grace-Kellogg reflects:

“Karin’s work ethic has been evident since law school. When she began working as a research attorney for the court, she would often stay at work past midnight. I don’t know if the judges for whom she worked even realized the hours she was putting in.

“Her story-telling skills are her hidden talent. Tales of her time and eventually flight from Iran are fascinating.

“Her early years in Iran gave Karin a profound respect for the American system of justice. She has spoken often of her gratitude for the opportunities and freedoms she has found in the U.S.”

She also notes:

“Karin is one of the smartest and hardest-working people I know, yet her wonderfully quirky sense of humor makes her instantly approachable.”

Undergraduate School

While an undergraduate at UCLA, Borzakian took jobs to support herself and also interned with the Los Angeles Superior Court, gaining legal education in an informal sense. She recounts:

“Although my duties were limited due to my lack of legal training, I was dedicated to my internship and, as a result, I was made a de-facto part of the staff, given a little corner in the judge’s chambers as my own and encouraged to return week after week. Looking back, the two years I spent as an intern were very important since it gave me a basic understanding of the operation of our court system. It was the beginning of my training as a lawyer.”

So keen were the skills as a lawyer to develop, that out of 437 applicants for posts as court commissioners, only four, including Borzakian, were chosen by the judges.


Then-Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David S. Wesley on March 25, 2016 swears Borzakian in as a court commissioner.

Swearing her in was then-Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley, the immediate past presiding judge, for whom Borzakian had served as a law clerk when he was supervising judge of the criminal courts. At the Jan. 23 “Person of the Year” dinner, Wesley will be introducing Borzakian.

Draws Praise

Los Angeles Superior Court Assistant Presiding Judge Ricardo R. Ocampo comments:

“Commissioner Karin Borzakian is a powerful example of the Court’s commitment to meeting court users where they are. In presiding over remote hearings for the Community Outreach Court on Skid Row, she supports individuals experiencing homelessness as they resolve legal matters and clear the obstacles that stand between them and vital services, stable housing, and employment. This recognition is a well-deserved acknowledgement of her dedication and impact.”

Yvette Verastegui, supervising judge of the Criminal Courts, says:

“Commissioner Borzakian is widely respected, both by her colleagues who rely on her judgment and steadiness and by the community who sees in her a leader committed to fairness and humanity. It is no accident that she was chosen to preside over the Community Outreach Court. That assignment reflects both her skill and her unique ability to connect with people from all walks of life.

“Her demeanor immediately sets a tone of professionalism, paired with a warmth that puts everyone at ease, an extraordinary combination that has a profound impact on the courtroom environment. Commissioner Borzakian embodies the very best of public service, and our community is stronger because of her work.”

Borzakian presided over a Nov. 8, 2024 mock trial at which members of a Girl Scouts troops, acting as jurors, adjudged the Cookie Monster not guilty of stealing chocolate chip cookies.

E. Carlos Dominguez, assistant supervising judge of the court’s Criminal Department, declares:

“Commissioner Borzakian is a wonderful colleague and serves the court with devotion, tireless work ethic, and sound judgement. As a colleague, she has fostered an environment that has promoted collegiality and genuine friendship. In her current role, Commissioner Borzakian understands the vital role bench officers play in advancing fairness and justice. Each day, she strives to treat litigants, parties, and staff with dignity and respect. Without fail, she is humble, fair, and has terrific judicial temperament. Congratulations to Commissioner Borzakian for this well-deserved honor and recognition!”

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jeff Cohen-Laurie observes:

“Commissioner Borzakian is the consummate professional. She’s a top-notch researcher, and she’ll ask the tough questions to get to the nitty-gritty of an issue. When we worked together in the same courthouse, people would call her all the time with questions because we all knew she could find the answer.

“Part of the reason she’s such a wonderful bench officer is that she has a heart of gold. She truly cares about the people appearing before her, their lawyers, and her colleagues.

“I’m not at all surprised Commissioner Borzakian is being honored as a Person of the Year. She deserves it!”

Borzakian says:

“Since becoming a bench officer, my perspective has broadened beyond the four corners of a file. I see each matter within the context of the individual’s life, the community’s needs, and the justice system’s long-term purpose. My role requires the wisdom to balance empathy with discipline, legal precision with human understanding.

“Across my career, I have always understood that legal decisions carry real human consequences. My work as a prosecutor exposed me daily to the experiences of victims, defendants, and families whose lives were shaped by the justice system. What has changed since taking the bench is the breadth of that responsibility. As a judicial officer, I now view each case through a wider lens—one that encompasses not only the individuals directly involved, but also the long-term implications for community safety, rehabilitation, and public trust. The bench demands a balance of empathy, accountability, and neutrality, and it has deepened my commitment to administering justice with fairness, clarity, and integrity.”