Judge Gerald Mohun

Judge Gerald F. Mohun, Jr. has served on the Mono County Superior Court since his election to the bench in 2018, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Stanley L. Eller. His pre-bench career spans over thirty years of private practice at Liebersbach, Mohun, Carney, and Reed in Mono County, where he concentrated in civil litigation, criminal law, and tort and insurance law. He also served as a contract public defender for Mono County, giving him direct, hands-on experience on both sides of criminal proceedings. This dual background — plaintiff/defense civil litigation and criminal defense — means Judge Mohun brings a practitioner's perspective to both civil and criminal matters. Judge Mohun's deep roots in Mono County are significant. He served as past-president of the Mono County Bar Association, was a member of the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, and served as commissioner for the Mammoth Lakes Park and Recreation. These community ties indicate a judge who is embedded in the local legal and civic culture of a small, rural county. In December 2025, he presided over the sentencing of prominent California climber Lonnie Kauk to six months in county jail for felony domestic violence — a case that drew regional and national media attention — demonstrating his willingness to impose custodial sentences in serious felony domestic violence matters even when the defendant carries public prominence. Because no ruling analyses or attorney observations are available in the current dataset, assessments of his courtroom style, procedural preferences, and ruling tendencies are limited to what can be drawn from his career background and the one documented sentencing outcome. Attorneys should treat the guidance below as grounded in career-profile inference and the single documented case, not in a pattern of observed rulings.

Given Judge Mohun's thirty-plus years as a civil litigator and criminal defense attorney in Mono County before taking the bench, attorneys should expect a judge who is procedurally experienced and unlikely to be impressed by basic legal arguments. In criminal matters, his background as a contract public defender means he is familiar with the arguments and pressures defense counsel face, but his sentencing of a high-profile defendant to six months in county jail for felony domestic violence signals that public profile or community standing does not insulate defendants from custodial sentences when the underlying conduct is serious. In civil matters, his specialization in tort and insurance law at his prior firm means he has substantive familiarity with insurance coverage disputes, personal injury litigation, and related civil claims. Attorneys handling tort or insurance matters before him should come prepared with precise legal arguments and well-organized evidentiary records, as he has practiced in these areas himself and will recognize gaps in preparation or argumentation. Because Judge Mohun was elected — not appointed — and has deep community ties in a small rural county, local knowledge and community context can be relevant framing in appropriate cases. However, attorneys should not assume that local connections or a defendant's community standing will mitigate outcomes in serious criminal matters, as the Kauk sentencing demonstrates.

• critical

  Review Local Rules for Mono County Superior Court

  Given Judge Mohun's deep roots in local practice and his prior leadership of the Mono County Bar Association, strict compliance with local rules and procedures is essential. Out-of-county counsel should review all applicable local rules before any appearance.

• critical

  Prepare Substantive Arguments in Tort and Insurance Matters

  Judge Mohun practiced in tort and insurance law for over thirty years. Attorneys in civil matters involving these areas must come prepared with precise legal and factual arguments — surface-level or boilerplate presentations will not suffice before a judge with this depth of background.

• critical

  Develop Thorough Sentencing Mitigation in Felony Domestic Violence Cases

  The documented sentencing of Lonnie Kauk to six months in county jail for felony domestic violence establishes that Judge Mohun will impose custodial sentences in serious domestic violence felonies. Defense counsel must prepare comprehensive mitigation packages and not rely on defendant prominence or community ties.

• important

  Research Any Available Local Opinions or Transcripts

  No ruling analyses are currently available in this dataset. Attorneys should independently research any available Mono County Superior Court records, transcripts, or published orders from Judge Mohun's tenure since 2018 to supplement this profile before appearing.

• important

  Prepare for a Practitioner-Level Bench

  With over thirty years of litigation experience across civil and criminal matters, Judge Mohun will recognize underprepared arguments, unsupported factual claims, and procedural shortcuts. Every filing and oral argument should be prepared to withstand scrutiny from an experienced litigator.

• ›Respect the small-county bar culture: Mono County has a close-knit legal community in which Judge Mohun was a long-standing member and past-president of the bar association. Professional courtesy and familiarity with local norms are expected.
• ›Do not rely on a defendant's or party's public profile or community standing as a substitute for substantive legal argument — the Kauk sentencing demonstrates this will not mitigate outcomes in serious criminal matters.
• ›Out-of-county attorneys should be especially prepared to demonstrate familiarity with local rules and procedures, as Judge Mohun practiced locally for over thirty years and will be attuned to deviations from local practice.
• ›In criminal proceedings, be prepared for a judge who understands both the prosecution and defense perspectives, having served as both a civil litigator and a contract public defender.