Judge James Schurz

Judge James Schurz was appointed to the Marin County Superior Court on June 18, 2024, by Governor Gavin Newsom, and is assigned to Department B, which handles Family Law matters. His pre-bench career spans over three decades at Morrison Foerster LLP, where he worked as an Associate from 1990 to 1998 and then as a Partner from 1998 to 2024, focusing on complex commercial and class action civil litigation. This background means Judge Schurz arrives on the bench with deep experience in high-stakes, procedurally complex civil matters, though his current assignment is Family Law — a distinct practice area from his litigation career. Before his private practice career, Judge Schurz clerked for Justice Marcus Kaufman at the California Supreme Court, giving him direct exposure to appellate-level legal reasoning and rigorous legal analysis at the highest level of California's judiciary. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at UC Law San Francisco, which reflects an engagement with legal pedagogy and doctrinal precision. Because Judge Schurz was appointed in June 2024 and no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content are currently available, no behavioral patterns, ruling tendencies, or courtroom preferences can be reported from observed data. The insights below are grounded exclusively in his documented career background and court assignment.

Given Judge Schurz's extensive background in complex commercial and class action litigation at a major national law firm, attorneys should expect a judge who is comfortable with detailed legal briefing, procedural rigor, and sophisticated argumentation. His career at Morrison Foerster suggests familiarity with well-organized, citation-heavy written submissions and structured oral argument. Attorneys appearing in Department B should ensure their papers are meticulously organized and that legal arguments are supported by precise statutory and case law citations. His clerkship at the California Supreme Court under Justice Marcus Kaufman indicates exposure to high-level appellate reasoning. Attorneys should be prepared to engage with foundational legal principles and statutory construction, not merely procedural shortcuts. Arguments grounded in clear legal authority and logical structure are consistent with the analytical environment of a Supreme Court clerkship. His Family Law assignment represents a departure from his commercial litigation background. No data exists yet on how he has adapted to Family Law doctrine, discretionary standards, or the interpersonal dynamics of family court proceedings. Attorneys should not assume his commercial litigation instincts will translate directly into Family Law rulings, and should be prepared to educate the court on Family Law-specific standards where relevant.

• critical

  Prepare Thorough, Citation-Dense Briefs

  Judge Schurz's career at Morrison Foerster and his Supreme Court clerkship reflect an environment where precise legal authority and well-organized written submissions are standard. Every legal argument should be supported by specific statutory text and case citations.

• critical

  Do Not Assume Family Law Expertise

  His pre-bench career was entirely in commercial and class action litigation. For Family Law-specific standards — such as best interest of the child analysis, spousal support factors, or community property characterization — be prepared to walk the court through the applicable framework clearly and thoroughly.

• critical

  Research Local Department B Rules and Practices

  As a newly appointed judge in Department B, any standing orders or local department practices he has issued should be reviewed carefully before any appearance. Check the Marin Superior Court website for Department B-specific orders.

• important

  Prepare Structured Oral Argument Outlines

  His background in complex commercial litigation and appellate clerkship suggests comfort with structured, issue-by-issue oral argument. Prepare a clear roadmap for any hearing rather than relying on informal presentation.

• important

  Monitor Emerging Ruling Patterns

  Because no rulings are yet available, attorneys should actively track any published orders or decisions from Department B as they accumulate, to build a real-time picture of his judicial tendencies.

• ›Present legal arguments with precise citations to statutory authority and case law — his career background reflects an expectation of rigorous legal support for every position.
• ›Organize submissions and oral presentations with clear structure and logical sequencing, consistent with the standards of complex commercial litigation and appellate practice.
• ›Review and strictly comply with any standing orders issued by Department B, as Judge Schurz is newly on the bench and may have established specific procedural expectations for his courtroom.
• ›Do not assume informality in Family Law proceedings will be welcomed — his BigLaw and Supreme Court clerkship background suggests a preference for professional, well-prepared appearances.