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.
- All types of Personal Injury including Sexual Assault and Wrongful Death
- Business/Contractual
- Employment
- Insurance Bad Faith
- Landlord/Tenant
- Medical Negligence
Judge Moloney is passionate about history and traveling. He also enjoys playing golf and pickleball in his spare time.
- 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)
- 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
- Trial Judge of the Year, CAALA (2021)
- Judge of the Year Award, ASCDC (2019)
- Judicial Civility Award, ABOTA Los Angeles Chapter (2016)
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.
Wrongful Termination
- 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 Issues
- 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 Malpractice
- 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
- 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.
- Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving multiple partition sale cases.
- 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.
- 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.
- Conducted a Mandatory Settlement Conference involving a Habitability case at a single-family residence. The plaintiffs sued for exposure to mold.
