Judge Lewis Davis

Judge Davis began his legal career serving as the Executive Director of the California Commission for the Revision of the Juvenile Court Law while completing his JD degree at the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Judge Davis served as Deputy District Attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office for nearly seven years where his last assignment was to prosecute homicide and other high-profile cases. He next served as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) for the Northern District of California for 16 years where his principal duties included the prosecution of narcotics and money laundering cases as well as serving as the Training Director for both the Civil and Criminal Divisions.  

Appointed in 2006 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, Judge Davis taught at the Criminal Law Institute which provides training to California judges. During his tenure on the court and following his retirement from the Bench in 2022, Judge Davis has participated regularly in the Stanford Law School's Advocacy Skills Workshop in the areas of evidence and trial practice and has served for many years as a moot court judge at most of the Bay Area's law schools. Most recently, Judge Davis was an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law where he taught evidence, advanced evidence, and trial advocacy.

• Philosophy of punishment
• Evidence — Admission of uncharged other acts evidence

• Philosophy of punishment
• Statutory interpretation
• Admission of uncharged other acts
• Evidence

• Co-Director, Alliance of California Judges

• Member of the Commission on the Future of California's Court System, appointed by the Chief Justice of California

• Senior Litigation Counsel, United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, appointed by the United States Attorney General

• University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, JD, 1981
• Clark University, BA with Honors in Philosophy, 1970

• Judge of the Superior Court, County of Contra Costa
• Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California 
• Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County District Attorney's Office
• Executive Director, California Commission for the Revision of the Juvenile Court Law

• Golden Gate University School of Law, Distinguished Adjunct Professor of the Year, 2023

• Recipient of the United States Department of Justice Director's Award for Superior Performance

• Personal Note of Commendation from the United States Attorney General and Letter of Commendation from the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for successful prosecution of an international drug smuggling organization

• "Congress' Contempt Power Over Executive Branch Recalcitrance — A Bark With No Bite — A Proposed Solution to Give the Dog Teeth", 53 University of the Pacific Law Review 129, 2021

• Consultant and Contributing Editor to the "California Judges Benchbook on Domestic Violence Cases in Criminal Court", 4th edition, California Continuing Education of the Bar

• "Review Procedures and Public Accountability in Sunset Legislation: An Analysis and Proposal for Reform", 33 Administrative Law Review 393, 1981