Administrative law judges (ALJs) play a crucial role within the state and federal governments, presiding over administrative disputes independently and impartially.

ALJs are appointed as executive adjudicators for administrative disputes. They operate independently of the agencies involved and are appointed by executive agency heads. ALJs preside over hearings concerning administrative law matters, placing them within the executive branches of the state and federal governments rather than in the judicial branches. ALJs are protected by safeguards analogous to those enjoyed by judicial judges, to ensure impartiality.  Those protections include exemptions from executive agency bonuses and ranking systems.

In their day-to-day work, ALJs perform functions very similar to what judges do in judicial proceedings; they identify and decide factual and legal issues. They possess the authority to issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and deliver decisions. Unlike judicial judges in jury trials, ALJs serve as the judge and the factfinder analogous to a judicial judge in a bench trial.  In other words, parties to administrative law members cannot opt for either a judge or jury to make factual determinations; in administrative hearings, ALJs exclusively fulfill this role.

McGeorge School of Law is proud to have 15 alumni currently serving as administrative law judges.

1. The Hon. Ariel Natalia Aldrich, ‘11, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board.
2. The Hon. Teri L. Block, ‘98, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California State Personnel Board.
3. The Hon. Richard Manuel Clark, ‘90, is an Administrative Law Judge for the U.S. Department of Labor.
4. The Hon. William S. Colwell, ‘82, is an Associate Chief Administrative Law Judge for the U.S. Department of Labor.
5. The Hon. Robert G. Kruse, ‘83, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board.
6. The Hon. Jay E. Levine, ‘79, is a Federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration.
7. The Hon. Gregory L. Martin, ‘88, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California State Department of Social Services.
8. The Hon. Jesse David Phillips, ‘05, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California Department of Health Care Services.
9. The Hon. Paul R. Ramsey, ‘91, is a Chief Administrative Law Judge for the California State Personnel Board.
10. The Hon. James M. Sobolewski, ‘81, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California State Personnel Board.
11. The Hon. Teresa Ann Stanley, ‘94, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California Office of Tax Appeals.
12. The Hon. David W. Thompson, ‘83, is an Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.
13. The Hon. Robert C. Tronvig, ‘75, is a Federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration Office of Hearings & Appeals.
14. The Hon. Jacque Douglas Wolfe, ‘93, is a Federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration Office.
15. The Hon. Claire Marie Yazigi, ‘04, is an Administrative Law Judge for the California Office of Administrative Hearings.

Throughout 2024, the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law will celebrate members of its vast alumni network in honor of the school’s 100-year anniversary. This post is part of a series highlighting 100 exceptional McGeorge School of Law alumni.   

Stay tuned for more blog posts as we celebrate the law school’s centennial anniversary.