Judge Tiana J. Murillo

Judge Tiana J. Murillo was appointed to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Governor Gavin Newsom in March 2022, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Hon. Norman P. Tarle. Her pre-bench career was concentrated entirely within Los Angeles County government and one private firm. At the County Counsel's Office, she progressed from deputy county counsel (2014–2017) through senior deputy county counsel (2017) to assistant county counsel (2019 and 2021). She also served in executive administrative roles, including chief of staff at the LA County Probation Department and assistant chief executive officer at the LA County Chief Executive's Office. Prior to county service, she practiced at Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp. Judge Murillo's career before the bench was defined by government-side legal and administrative work. Her roles at the County Counsel's Office involved representing a large public entity, and her executive positions required coordination across complex bureaucratic structures. Her academic credentials include a B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University (2001) and a J.D. from Columbia Law School (2007). Because no ruling analyses, attorney observations, or ingested content are available at this time, no behavioral patterns, ruling tendencies, or courtroom preferences can be reported with evidentiary support. The guidance below is grounded exclusively in her documented career background and appointment record. Attorneys should treat this profile as a starting-point orientation and supplement it with direct courtroom observation.

Judge Murillo's extensive background in public-sector law and county government administration means she has deep familiarity with governmental procedures, administrative records, and institutional decision-making frameworks. Attorneys litigating matters that involve public entities, administrative processes, or county agencies should be prepared to engage with procedural and institutional context at a sophisticated level, as her background reflects direct experience with those systems. Her progression through increasingly senior legal and executive roles at Los Angeles County suggests comfort with complex, multi-party institutional matters. Attorneys should present arguments in a structured, organized manner consistent with the kind of formal briefing and policy analysis common in government legal work. Clear delineation of legal authority, well-organized records, and precise procedural compliance are consistent with the professional environment from which she came. Because no ruling data or attorney observations are available, attorneys cannot yet rely on established patterns regarding her courtroom demeanor, motion practice preferences, or evidentiary rulings. Direct courtroom observation and consultation with attorneys who have appeared before her since her 2022 appointment is the most reliable way to supplement this profile before any appearance.

• critical

  Conduct Independent Ruling Research

  Search Trellis, CourtListener, and the LA Superior Court's own docket systems for any rulings issued by Judge Murillo since her March 2022 appointment. No analyzed rulings exist in this dataset, making independent research the only available path to understanding her actual judicial behavior.

• critical

  Consult Attorneys Who Have Appeared Before Her

  Seek out practitioners who have litigated in her courtroom since 2022. First-hand accounts of her courtroom demeanor, motion practice, and procedural expectations are the most reliable intelligence available given the absence of analyzed rulings.

• important

  Prepare Thorough Administrative and Procedural Records

  Given her background in county government legal work, ensure that any administrative records, procedural histories, or governmental documents in your matter are complete, well-organized, and accurately cited. Her professional experience makes her a sophisticated reviewer of such materials.

• important

  Review Her Appointment Context

  She fills the vacancy of Hon. Norman P. Tarle. Reviewing Tarle's courtroom practices and any transition notes from that department may provide useful baseline context for courtroom norms in her assigned department.

• important

  Prepare Structured, Policy-Aware Briefing

  Her career involved formal legal analysis and executive-level policy work. Briefs that are well-structured, clearly organized, and attentive to broader legal and policy context are consistent with the professional environment she came from.

• important

  Monitor LA Superior Court Local Rules for Her Department

  Check the Stanley Mosk Courthouse department-specific rules and any standing orders issued by Judge Murillo. New appointees frequently issue standing orders that govern motion practice, tentative ruling procedures, and hearing protocols.

• ›Arrive fully prepared on procedural history and administrative records, consistent with the rigorous institutional environment from which Judge Murillo's legal career emerged.
• ›Treat the courtroom with the formality appropriate to a judge with an elite academic background and senior government legal experience — avoid casual or informal advocacy styles.
• ›Check for any standing orders or department-specific rules issued since her March 2022 appointment before any appearance, as newer appointees frequently establish specific procedural expectations.
• ›Be prepared to engage substantively on governmental and administrative law issues; her County Counsel background means she will not require basic orientation on public-sector legal frameworks.
• ›Present arguments in a structured, organized format consistent with formal government legal briefing standards rather than loosely organized oral advocacy.