Lydia Kim
Santa Ana,CA
Summary
Dynamic legal professional with extensive experience adept at managing high-volume caseloads and ensuring judicial efficiency. Proven ability to analyze complex cases swiftly and collaborate effectively with legal teams.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Commissioner
Orange County Superior Court
Westminster, CA
02.2025 - Current
- Advise represented and self-represented litigants of their constitutional rights in high-volume arraignment hearings, for traffic and misdemeanor criminal cases.
- Offer court-indicated sentences, entertain court-initiated diversion, accept pleas, impose sentences, and schedule cases for hearings or trials.
- Conduct court trials in traffic cases.
- Assess evidence and testimony in various criminal motions and preliminary hearings.
- Impose or modify sentences in cases where defendants have been charged with probation violations.
Deputy District Attorney
Orange County District Attorney's Office
09.2001 - 01.2025
- Victims' Rights Liaison served as a contact point between victims and the Orange County District Attorney's Office to address victims' concerns. Assisted fellow prosecutors in fulfilling their obligations under Marsy's Law, trained and educated colleagues on victims' rights, and participated in outreach involving victims' issues.
- Assigned to handle criminal prosecutions in both misdemeanor and felony cases. Conducted over 25 jury trials, hundreds of preliminary hearings, and various legal motions. Built a reputation for efficiency in managing a criminal calendar court: collaborating to resolve cases with fair but just dispositions and progressing on cases that required adjudication.
- Assigned in Truancy Court at the Juvenile Justice Center. Collaborated with a team of court-appointed counsel, probation officers, and other County officials to ensure parents and students complied with school attendance requirements. Participated in and supported local schools during their School Attendance Review Board (SARB) meetings and conducted training and outreach efforts for school districts.
- Reviewed police reports and evaluated cases for filing criminal charges on the same day. Worked with and trained police officers to ensure proper prosecutions without violating constitutional rights. Reviewed hundreds of search warrants before judicial review.
Law Clerk
California Court Of Appeals
Fourth District, Division Three-Santa Ana
09.2000 - 09.2001
- Conducted legal research, reviewed case filings/records, and discussed legal analysis with The Honorable Justice William Bedsworth and other staff attorneys. Research was focused on reviewing criminal and juvenile dependency cases on appeal.
- Wrote legal memoranda and drafted proposed opinions for Justice Bedsworth's approval.
Education
J.D. -
University of Colorado School of Law
Boulder, CO05.1999
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
University of California - San Diego
La Jolla, CA06.1995
Accomplishments
2013 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Exceptional Prosecution of Drunken Driving Cases
Affiliations
Orange County Bar Association
Orange County Korean Bar Association
California Judges Association
California Court Commissioners Association
California Asia-Pacific American Judges' Association
Timeline
Commissioner
Orange County Superior Court
02.2025 - Current
Deputy District Attorney
Orange County District Attorney's Office
09.2001 - 01.2025
Law Clerk
California Court Of Appeals
09.2000 - 09.2001
J.D. -
University of Colorado School of Law
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
University of California - San Diego