Lunch Time General Session – Above And Beyond: Tales Of Celebrating Fiduciary Innovation And Excellence

Judge Hubbard recently retired after 15 years on the Orange County Superior Court, where she presided over countless court trials in the Family Law and Probate Departments. Several jury trials were presided over in the area of LPS (mental health) conservatorships. In addition to her extensive experience in elder and dependent adult issues prior to taking the bench, Judge Hubbard’s experience in the family law department and in probate give her a unique insight into the family dynamics. Judge Hubbard is known for her no-nonsense approach while maintaining empathy for the emotional issues involved.

Judge Ana Maria Luna has served as a bench officer in the Los Angeles County since 1992. She holds undergraduate degrees in Biological Sciences and Spanish from the University of California, Irvine. She received her juris doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Gould Law School in 1984. Before joining the bench in 1992, Judge Luna practiced as a family law attorney and as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles County. Judge Luna has extensive experience in handling family law matters involving issues of child custody, support and property division. Since 2020, Judge Luna has handled a probate calendar where she manages estate, trust, guardianship and conservatorship cases including long cause trials. She has lectured to bar associations and professional organizations including best practices as to case management and evidentiary hearings.

Judge Mary Thornton House retired from the Los Angeles Superior Court in September 2018 after serving for 22 years. She has started her third career as a private neutral for Alternative Resolution Centers (ARC). Starting out in the Pasadena Municipal Court handling criminal cases, Judge House quickly transitioned to civil and spent 8 years in probate assignments in Pasadena and the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

Judge House is also the author of Thomson Reuter’s California Civil Jury Instruction Companion Handbook, updated yearly. Judge House has been honored throughout her career by many organizations. In 2004, Los Angeles County honored her as one of its ‘Women of the Year’ and named Judge of the Year by the Pasadena Bar Association. In 2008, the California Judges Association awarded her the Bernard F. Jefferson’s Award for Excellence in Judicial Education. In 2011, the San Fernando Valley Bar Association awarded her the Excellence in Judicial Administration award for her leadership in getting California’s Expedited Jury Trials legislation passed, the development of the current universal judgment form, and simplification of small claims pleadings. In 2013, the San Fernando Valley Bar Association named her their Judge of the Year.

Judge House was Dean of the California B.E. Witkin Judicial College which provides for education of all judicial officers in California. The college is a nationally recognized institution and exemplar for judicial education where she has been an instructor and seminar leader since 1997. In 2007, Yale Law School selected her to teach at their China Law Center in Beijing, China, courses on small claims and limited civil procedures to selected judges from throughout China.

Judge House was an Assistant City Attorney and civil litigator for the City of Los Angeles. She graduated from UCLA and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Diego.

Judge Lund currently serves as the Presiding Probate Judge handling all probate, trust, conservatorship and guardianship of the person and estate cases in Ventura. He was appointed Superior Court Judge by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in December 2009. Judge Lund was named 2022 Judge of the Year by the Ventura County Trial Lawyers Association. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Lund was in private practice for 13 years, handling wills, trusts, probates, conservatorships and guardianships, and also served as a Probate Referee Assistant to Gregory R. Gose, California Probate Referee, assisting in the valuation of all kinds of probate estate assets.