Tuesday, June 16, 2026
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LASC Judge Gary Tanaka Readies to Leave Bench
By a MetNews Staff Writer
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GARY TANAKA Superior Court judge |
Thursday will mark Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gary Tanaka’s last day on the bench, one month shy of 17 years since he received his appointment.
He will officially retire on Aug. 1, after using earned vacation days.
“Going forward, I hope to have more time to spend with family, friends, and to go fishing more often,” the jurist said.
He reflected:
“After 17 years, I would have to say my fondest memories of serving has been to help people. Working with counsel, their clients, and self-represented litigants navigate their way through difficult challenges has been personally rewarding and the highlight of my career.”
Tanaka was, at the time of his 2009 appointment to the bench by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a senior deputy Los Angeles county counsel. He joined that office in 2006.
A graduate of Western State University School of Law, he also was in private practice (1991-2000) and served in Los Angeles County as deputy public defender (2000-01) and as a deputy alternate public defender (2001-06).
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