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HON. STEPHEN M. MOLONEY, RET.

  • Based in Los Angeles, available in All of California
  • Available for Mediation, Arbitration, and Private Judging assignments

Introduction

Judge Moloney has earned a stellar reputation for his judicial and legal career spanning 47 years. As a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court, he sat briefly in criminal (one year) and family law (four years) with the remainder of his time in a civil trial court. While in civil, he conducted law and motion hearings and trials in many areas of the law. Being a trial lawyer and judge, he appreciates the unpredictability of jury verdicts and values the importance of settlement discussions, which is why he made it a priority to be available for settlement conferences while on the bench.

Before his appointment, he was a partner at a civil litigation firm and tried personal injury and insurance matters for 34 years. He also helped build the firm's employment department and practiced in this area for several years. Judge Moloney’s entire litigation career was spent as a trial lawyer, earning him the position of Past President of the Southern California Defense Counsel. He is also an ABOTA member and received the Judicial Civility Award from the Los Angeles Chapter in 2016 and the "Judge of the Year" award from both plaintiff and defense organizations.

Judge Moloney is known and admired by lawyers throughout California for his experience, work ethic, and hospitability to all who entered his courtroom. Many describe him as one of the most respectful, practical, and amiable judges they have been before.





Practice Areas

  • All types of Personal Injury including Sexual Assault and Wrongful Death
  • Business/Contractual
  • Employment
  • Insurance Bad Faith
  • Landlord/Tenant
  • Medical Negligence

Experience Summary

During the course of a legal career spanning four decades, Judge Moloney has been involved in a wide variety of cases as both a Superior Court Judge for Los Angeles County, and as a partner at a civil litigation firm.

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Hobbies & Interests

Judge Moloney is passionate about history and traveling. He also enjoys playing golf and pickleball in his spare time.

Testimonials

"Judge Moloney is smart, patient, and extremely fair to everyone involved. He listens well and cares about getting matters resolved. "
- President of ABOTA, Los Angeles Chapter

Links and Articles

Experience Summary

BUSINESS/CONTRACTUAL


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a lawsuit where the plaintiff sued the defendant for failing to pay for basketball shoes the plaintiff manufactured.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a matter in which the plaintiff purchased invoices owed by the defendant. The plaintiff seeks to collect on the invoices he purchased. Defendant claimed he already paid for the invoices.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a lawsuit claiming breach of contract and fraud. The dispute involved a pizza restaurant. Plaintiff claims the defendant breached an agreement to transfer a beer and wine license and health permit to the plaintiff.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a Contractual dispute over profits and rights related to the manufacture of nutritional food.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a lawsuit filed to collect on a bank loan guaranteed by the defendant.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a matter in which the plaintiffs claimed that they were convinced to enter a fraudulent Immigrant VISA scheme, causing the plaintiffs to suffer significant financial losses.


•Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a lawsuit to enforce compliance with competitive bidding statute in order (per plaintiff) to protect the public from the waste of public funds. Plaintiff wanted the funds disgorged back to the school district.


EMPLOYMENT


• Wrongful Termination and Age Discrimination case that went to trial.


• Jury trial involving a Wrongful Termination claim against a hospital.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving an Employment case where the plaintiff claimed sexual harassment, disability, age discrimination, and retaliation.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a Wrongful Termination claim involving a school district.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving alleged discrimination at a hospital.


FAMILY LAW


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a Family Law Case wherein the husband and wife signed a legal separation agreement and stipulated judgment years ago. They were to divide their property acquired during the marriage, however, not all the property had been divided. The parties in this matter previously signed a deal memorandum that was to address all remaining issues, but it didn’t conclude the case. The ex-wife claimed her former spouse hid millions of dollars in assets and wanted them accounted for.


MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE


• Medical Malpractice jury trial involving the plaintiff who was hospitalized and in bed. A seven-pound item fell and hit the plaintiff on the head.


• Medical Malpractice jury trial involving a minor plaintiff who alleged that the defendant was negligent in treating her for a battery that was lodged in the plaintiff’s nose.


REAL PROPERTY


BREACH OF CONTRACT


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a plaintiff who claimed that the defendant failed to sell a commercial property per the terms of the real estate sales contract.


BUY/SELL


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving multiple partition sale cases.


LANDLORD/TENANT


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a dispute between a landlord (the bank) and the tenant of the bank because the air conditioning did not work.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a breach of the implied covenant of Habitability by the Landlord.


NEIGHBOR DISPUTE


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a dispute between two neighbors over a block wall the plaintiffs claim that the defendant damaged.


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a dispute between neighbors over a wall separating their property


WARRANT OF HABITABILITY


• Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a Habitability case at a single-family residence. The plaintiffs sued for exposure to mold.


TORT


CIVIL RIGHTS


• Police Shooting Case involving two plaintiffs who sued for the wrongful death of their father.


PERSONAL INJURY AUTO


• Jury trial involving a plaintiff who rode his bicycle over a pothole and fell off his bicycle, incurring injuries.


• Jury trial involving an auto vs pedestrian wrongful death case.


• Jury trial involving a minor. The Plaintiff claimed a traumatic brain injury.


•Jury trial involving an auto vs auto accident wherein the defendant disputed liability. Plaintiff was entering a two-way street.


PERSONAL INJURY ASSAULT & BATTERY


• Assault & Battery case where both parties sued on the assault and battery. The parties lived in the same apartment building, and the incident occurred as one tenant was exiting the building and the other was entering the building.


PERSONAL INJURY SEXUAL ASSAULT


• Jury trial involving a sexual abuse claim by a minor.


• Sexual abuse case involving a minor through her Guardian ad litem, suing the school district and the teacher.


• Jury trial of a sexual abuse case involving a minor and a school district.


PREMISES LIABILITY


• Jury trial involving a Slip and Fall case where the plaintiff was exiting a grocery store when she slipped and fell.


• Jury trial wherein the plaintiff injured her hand in an accident. She claimed that she could not play the violin as well as she could before the accident, which affected her professional career.


• Jury trial wherein the plaintiff was attacked and severely injured at the defendant's apartment complex.


• Jury trial involving a personal Injury Trip and Fall case in which the plaintiff tripped and fell over a hose at a duplex owned by the plaintiff's son.


PRODUCT LIABILITY


• Jury trial with allegations of asbestos in talcum powder.


Legal Career

  • Full-time Neutral, Judicate West (2023-Present)
  • Judge, Los Angeles County Superior Court (2009-2022)
  • Los Angeles County Superior Court Executive Committee (2021)
  • Partner, Gilbert, Kelly, Crowley & Jennett; Specialized primarily in personal injury defense (1975-2000) as well as helped build and lead the firm’s employment litigation practice (2000-2009)

Education & Professional Affiliations

  • J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law (1975)
  • B.S., Santa Clara University (1971)
  • Mediating the Litigated Case, Pepperdine University, Straus Institute of Dispute Resolution (2022)
  • Association of Southern California Defense Counsel, President (1992)
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), (1989-Present)
  • Judge/Advisor for The Civil Jury Project at New York University

Achievements & Awards

  • Trial Judge of the Year, CAALA (2021)
  • Judge of the Year Award, ASCDC (2019)
  • Judicial Civility Award, ABOTA Los Angeles Chapter (2016)

Legal Experience

  • All types of Personal Injury including Sexual Assault and Wrongful Death
  • Business/Contractual
  • Employment
  • Insurance Bad Faith
  • Landlord/Tenant
  • Medical Negligence

Recent Representative Cases