Israel Claustro
Israel Claustro was a judge of the Superior Court of Orange County in California. He assumed office on January 2, 2023. He left office on January 7, 2026.
Claustro won election for judge of the Superior Court of Orange County in California outright in the primary on June 7, 2022, after the general election was canceled.
Elections
2022
See also: Municipal elections in Orange County, California (2022)
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Orange County
Israel Claustro won election outright against Kevin Brian Jones in the primary for Superior Court of Orange County on June 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Israel Claustro (Nonpartisan) | 72.3 | 375,917 | |
 | Kevin Brian Jones (Nonpartisan)  | 27.7 | 143,777 | |
| Total votes: 519,694 | |||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Israel Claustro did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Noteworthy events
Felony guilty plea (2025)
On January 7, 2026, Claustro was charged with one count of mail fraud, related to California’s workers’ compensation program. Claustro pleaded guilty and resigned from his position as judge of the Superior Court of Orange County. According to the plea agreement, during his time as prosecutor for the county, Claustro operated a medical corporation without the requisite credentials to do so per state law, and knowingly employed a doctor who had been convicted of felony health care fraud and barred from participating in the workers' compensation program. The plea agreement further states that Claustro made efforts to conceal his fraudulent activities.[1]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California
State courts:
California Supreme Court • California Courts of Appeal • California Superior Courts
State resources:
Courts in California • California judicial elections • Judicial selection in California
