Maria Puente-Porras
Judge Puente-Porras was appointed on June 27, 2018. She served as Commissioner for the Los Angeles Superior Court since April 2015. She is currently assigned at Whittier Courthouse in the Southeasst District and is the site judge. Whittier courthouse has five active courtrooms and is the only family law hub for Los Angeles County. She has always sat in a family law assignment. Prior to her election as a Commissioner, she practiced Family Law, representing all parties and served as appointed minor’s counsel. In the contested adoption forum at Edelman Children’s Court, she was appointed on behalf of parties or to serve as minor’s counsel. Her practice also included Criminal Defense and Civil litigation. For 10 years she served on the Board of Trustees for the Southeast District Bar Association and was President in 2010. Her pro bono work included serving as a Daily Settlement Officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court [Family Law], the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Los Angeles and the Public Law Center in Santa Ana. Judge Puente-Porras was in private practice for 17 years until being elected to the Bench as a Commissioner. She is a graduate of Western State University College of Law, Fullerton.