Judge Andrew C. Kim

Judge Andrew C. Kim serves on the Los Angeles Superior Court, appointed by Governor Jerry Brown on June 29, 2016. His profile reflects a judicial career that has spanned both civil and criminal matters. Court records identify him as a civil judge assigned to the Southeast District Norwalk Courthouse, while public case records document his presiding over significant criminal proceedings in the Los Angeles area. The criminal cases on record from 2024 include a conviction in the death of a 21-year-old Long Beach man, in which Judge Kim publicly characterized the outcome as 'an awful tragedy,' and a case involving not guilty pleas from murder suspects in a random shooting spree across Huntington Park, Cudahy, and Bell. These cases reflect exposure to high-stakes, emotionally charged criminal matters. His on-record characterization of a case as 'an awful tragedy' indicates a willingness to express moral weight in his courtroom commentary. Because no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content records are available for this judge, the data supporting behavioral and strategic conclusions is limited to biographical and case-identification records. Attorneys should treat the guidance below as a starting framework and supplement it with direct research into recent rulings and local counsel consultation before appearing before Judge Kim.

Given the absence of ruling analyses or attorney observations, strategic guidance must be grounded in the limited factual record available. Judge Kim has presided over serious criminal matters involving violent offenses, and his public statement describing a case outcome as 'an awful tragedy' signals that he engages with the human dimensions of cases before him. Attorneys in criminal matters should be prepared for a judge who takes the gravity of charges and outcomes seriously and who communicates that gravity openly on the record. Judge Kim's dual assignment history — identified as a civil judge at the Southeast District while also appearing in criminal case records — suggests familiarity across case types. Attorneys should not assume a narrow subject-matter focus and should be prepared for a judge with broad procedural exposure. In the absence of specific ruling pattern data, attorneys should prioritize thorough preparation on procedural compliance, clear factual presentation, and well-organized briefing, as these are baseline expectations in the Los Angeles Superior Court system. Local counsel familiar with the Southeast District Norwalk Courthouse and Judge Kim's current department should be consulted to obtain current standing orders, preferred motion formats, and any courtroom-specific practices. The data available does not support more granular tactical recommendations at this time.

• critical

  Obtain Current Department Standing Orders

  No standing orders or courtroom-specific rules are included in the available data. Before any appearance, attorneys must obtain Judge Kim's current standing orders directly from the court or the department clerk to ensure compliance with filing deadlines, motion formats, and hearing procedures.

• critical

  Consult Local Counsel Familiar with Southeast District

  Judge Kim is identified with the Southeast District Norwalk Courthouse. Local counsel with direct experience in that courthouse can provide current intelligence on Judge Kim's courtroom preferences, scheduling practices, and any informal expectations not captured in public records.

• important

  Research Recent Rulings Through Trellis or CourtDrive

  The current data set contains zero analyzed rulings. Attorneys should independently search Trellis, CourtDrive, or the court's public docket for recent orders and tentative rulings issued by Judge Kim to build a current pattern baseline before appearing.

• important

  Prepare for Emotionally Engaged Judicial Temperament in Criminal Cases

  Judge Kim's on-record statement about a case being 'an awful tragedy' documents an emotionally engaged judicial temperament in criminal proceedings. Attorneys in criminal matters should prepare arguments that acknowledge the human stakes of the case, not just the legal technicalities.

• important

  Confirm Current Assignment and Department

  The profile identifies Judge Kim as a civil judge at the Southeast District while criminal case records also appear. Attorneys should confirm Judge Kim's current department assignment and case type jurisdiction directly with the court before filing or appearing.

• ›Treat the courtroom with the gravity appropriate to a judge who has publicly acknowledged the human tragedy of case outcomes — avoid flippant or dismissive characterizations of facts.
• ›Confirm the correct courthouse and department before appearing, as Judge Kim's profile references both the Southeast District Norwalk Courthouse and criminal case proceedings in other jurisdictions.
• ›Arrive prepared with thorough knowledge of the factual record, as Judge Kim's criminal case involvement reflects engagement with detailed, complex fact patterns.
• ›Obtain and follow any standing orders from Judge Kim's department, as no courtroom-specific rules are available in the current data set and non-compliance with local rules is a common basis for adverse rulings in Los Angeles Superior Court.