Richard Darwin

Richard C. Darwin currently serves as a Judge of the Superior Court of San Francisco County in California, a position he assumed in 2018. His judicial career has seen him preside over a range of cases, including criminal, juvenile, and family law matters. He also contributes to judicial education as an instructor for the California Judicial Council's training program for newly appointed and elected judges.

Darwin earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1989, and subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of Law, in 1992.

Before his appointment to the bench by Governor Jerry Brown in December 2017, Darwin had a distinguished career in private legal practice spanning 25 years. He was a shareholder at Buchalter from 2003 to 2018, where he also served as co-chair of the Litigation Department. His earlier experience includes roles as an associate attorney at Covington & Burling from 1999 to 2003, and at Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon from 1992 to 1999.

In recent news, Judge Darwin has been notable for his rulings affecting the iGaming and gambling industry in California. Specifically, he invalidated regulations adopted by the California Attorney General's Bureau of Gambling Control that would have restricted certain table games offered by licensed cardrooms, finding the agency exceeded its authority.