HON. LESLIE C. NICHOLS (Ret.)
Mediator • Arbitrator • Referee
About
Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara
Judge Nichols served as a Judge of the Superior Court for 25 years, handling settlement conferences, and pre-trial, trial, and post-trial matters involving civil law, family law, juvenile delinquency and dependency, probate and mental health, and criminal law.
Over the course of his judicial career, Judge Nichols has presided over court and jury proceedings in complex litigation and CEQA; served in family court for four years, including a term as Presiding Judge of the Family Court Division; served as Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court for two years, and later as Presiding Judge of the Appellate Department; sat on assignment by the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court; spent two years in civil law and motion; was Supervising Judge of the family resources division; and spent one year in criminal law and motion.
Judge Nichols served as Assistant Presiding Judge of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, followed by two elected terms as Presiding Judge from 1997 and 1998. As Presiding Judge, he oversaw the unification of the Superior and Municipal trial courts in Santa Clara County.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Personal & Catastrophic Injury, Wrongful Death
- Complex Litigation
- Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith
- Land Use, CEQA, and Real Estate
- Business & Contract Disputes
- Consumer Cases
- Professional Liability
- Civil Rights
- Family Law
- Probate, Estates & Trusts