William F. Rylaarsdam, Associate Justice
Justice Rylaarsdam is a 1957 graduate of the
University of California (Berkeley) where he received a Bachelor of
Science degree. He graduated cum laude from Loyola Law School
(Los Angeles) in 1964 and, in 1998, received a Master of Laws degree
from the University of Virginia School of Law. He was admitted to
practice before the California and federal courts in 1964 and became
a member of the bar of United States Supreme Court in 1971.
From 1964 to 1985, Rylaarsdam practiced civil litigation with
offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena and Newport Beach. He specialized
in insurance law, legal malpractice, construction and contract
litigation. During the period of his practice, he served as a
hearing officer for lawyer discipline cases. He also served on a
number of committees for the California State Bar and engaged in
various community activities, including the Pasadena Human Relations
Committee and the Pasadena Planning Commission.
In 1985 Governor Deukmejian appointed Rylaarsdam as a judge of
the Los Angeles Superior Court and in 1986 the same Governor
transferred him to the Orange County Superior Court. While a judge
on the Los Angeles and Orange County Superior Courts, Rylaarsdam
heard civil, criminal and family law trials. While on the Orange
County Superior Court he also acted as supervising judge of the law
and motion and complex litigation panels.
In 1995 Governor Wilson appointed Rylaarsdam as an associate
justice of the California Court of Appeal, where he hears appeals
from the Superior Court in civil and criminal cases. He was
appointed by the California Judicial Council to serve on its
Appellate Task Force and Complex Litigation Task Force.
Justice Rylaarsdam has published over 60 articles, primarily on
legal subjects. He also serves on the editorial board of California
Litigation, the journal of the Litigation Section of the California
State Bar, and is co-author of a widely used text, Civil Procedure
Before Trial, published by The Rutter Group. He has extensive
teaching experience. Between 1973 and 1978 he was an adjunct
professor of law at Loyola Law School. Between 1990 and 1994 he was
a lecturer in business law at the University of California (Irvine),
Graduate School of Management. In addition, he has been a frequent
lecturer in programs for the continuing education of lawyers and
judges.
Justice Rylaarsdam and his wife Jan, a former library assistant
at the University of California, Irvine, have been married since
1957 and have four children and six grandchildren.
<<
back