Michael P. Johnson (Superior Court of Alameda County, California)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Michael P. Johnson

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of California, Santa Barbara, 1985

Personal

Profession

Attorney at law

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Michael P. Johnson ran for election for judge of the Superior Court of Alameda County in California. He lost in the primary on March 5, 2024.

Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Michael P. Johnson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1985. His career experience includes working as an attorney at law.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Alameda County, California (2024)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Superior Court of Alameda County

Mark Fickes won election outright against Michael P. Johnson in the primary for Superior Court of Alameda County on March 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Fickes (Nonpartisan)	55.2	133,009
		Michael P. Johnson (Nonpartisan)	44.8	107,844

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 240,853
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Johnson's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Johnson in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael P. Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have been licensed to practice law for the past 33 years. I am also licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. I’ve worked on hundreds of cases in both the trial courts and before regulatory bodies. I am proud to have established broad trial and transactional experience in the areas of personal injury, civil rights, real estate, civil, corporate, criminal, healthcare, data privacy, AI, telecommunications, just to name a few in both in the courtroom as well as in the corporate boardroom.

For the past 5 years I’ve run my own courtroom as a Temporary Judge in Alameda County Superior Court certified to hear traffic, civil harassment, family and small claims matters. I am proud to have earned the reputation of being efficient, pragmatic, hard-working, knowledgeable

My candidacy for Superior Court Judge is centered on the values of fairness, integrity, and efficiency in our legal system. I adhere strictly to the judicial canons of ethics, recognizing the more stringent standards for judicial candidates during the elective process.

The Oakland chapter of the NAACP has supported my candidacy, emphasizing that my commitment to the judicial canons of ethics as a qualification for being “the most qualified candidate”.

The East Bay Times has endorsed me and has stated that, "...There's one very well-qualified candidate in this race. And he's the only one who deserves consideration. Voters should elect Michael Johnson to the Alameda County Superior Court bench."

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• My candidacy for Superior Court Judge is centered on the values of equal access to justice for all, fairness, integrity, and efficiency in our legal system. I adhere strictly to the judicial canons of ethics, recognizing the more stringent standards for judicial candidates during the elective process.
• In sharp contract to my opponent, I am committed to not engaging in any political or campaign activity or endorsement that compromises the independence, integrity, or impartiality of the judiciary, including refraining from disclosing my personal voting preferences regardless of when that vote may have occurred.
• Many current and retired Superior Court Judges in Alameda and other counties have endorsed me, including the esteemed Presiding Judge of Alameda County, Charles Smiley, who has observed my courtroom and has praised my work as “among the finest in the Alameda County Superior Court.” Judge Smiley further notes that, "I have personally observed Michael’s professionalism as judge pro tem. On the bench, he is thoughtful, courteous, composed, and patient. He communicates well and effectively with litigants, witnesses, spectators, and court staff alike. In fact, court staff has reported how much they enjoy working with him. . . we know he will arrive on time, well-prepared, and deliver high-quality judicial work."

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Being a judge is a public service position and as a judge, in addition to administering the law to each matter, I view my role as serving the public.

I am personally passionate about fair and equal access to justice for all and the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. I am also passionate about being respectful to all who may come before me as a judge and making sure that they are seen, heard and made to feel at all times that they are treated fairly by me and under the law.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

As noted earlier, this office is unique and important because at all times judges must have an unwavering commitment to strictly adhering to the judicial canons/code of judicial ethics at all times; honesty; integrity; deep knowledge of the law; fairness; patience; an eagerness to continue to learn and keep abreast of the law as it evolves and new laws are passed or new cases are adjudicated; good listening skills; discretion; respect for others; humility; impartiality; awareness of the community and the issues facing the people in those communities; compassion; candor; and the unwavering courage to do what the law requires in every matter that they adjudicate. No other role or office in my opinion has such a high level of personal and ethical required commitment and I welcome the responsibility.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my mother and my maternal grandmother who raised and guided me in life. They both taught me to not only to be accountable for my actions, but to persevere through life’s struggles and to always have compassion for others in their times of need. Together with my wife Katrina, we pass those values along to our daughter.

As an African American, I strongly believe that the judiciary in Alameda County should reflect the diversity of our community and provide impartiality and equal access to justice for all. It is my honor to serve as a role model for those in various underprivileged and underrepresented communities when I volunteer in the community mentoring youth, as an attorney or when I serve as a Temporary Judge and I strive at all times to set the example by being impartial, fair, and consistent with the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

This is a political question. My role as a current Temporary Judge, as a current judicial candidate and ultimately as a Judge is not political and I am ethically prohibited from inserting or divulging any personal or political views or opinions when I adjudicate any matter--nor have I ever done so..

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

In my case, for elected Superior Court Judges (and for all Judges, Commissioners, and Temporary Judges for that matter), they should have the following characteristics or principles: An unwavering commitment to strictly adhering to the judicial canons/code of judicial ethics at all times; honesty; integrity; deep knowledge of the law; fairness; patience; an eagerness to continue to learn and keep abreast of the law as it evolves and new laws are passed or new cases are adjudicated; good listening skills; respect for others; humility; impartiality; awareness of the community and the issues facing the people in those communities; compassion; candor; and the unwavering courage to do what the law requires in every matter that they adjudicate.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

First, I have served well as a Temporary Judge for the past 5 years. And my service as a Temporary Judge is viewed by Presiding Judge Charles Smiley as ranking ". . .among the best in the County."

Based on existing and retired judges and others who endorse me, I believe I possess the following qualities that make me a successful Judge and the best candidate for this office:

An unwavering commitment to strictly adhering to the judicial canons/code of judicial ethics at all times; honesty; integrity; deep knowledge of the law; fairness; patience; an eagerness to continue to learn and keep abreast of the law as it evolves and new laws are passed or new cases are adjudicated; good listening skills; respect for others; humility; impartiality; awareness of the community and the issues facing the people in those communities; compassion; candor; and the unwavering courage to do what the law requires in every matter that I may adjudicate.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe that the core responsibilities of a Superior Court Judge are to at all times (both in and out of the courtroom) exhibit honesty, integrity, deep knowledge of the law, fairness, patience, an eagerness to learn, good listening skills, respect for others, humility, impartiality, awareness of the community and the issues facing the people in those communities, not to make any public statements or commit any acts that are inconsistent with the independence, integrity or impartiality of the judiciary, compassion, candor, to set a respectful and professional atmosphere or tone in the courtroom and when encountering others, to not tolerate abuse or disrespect of the court or between the parties/witnesses/litigants in any matter that may come before the Court, ad to hold his/her fellow judges, staff and attorneys appearing in the Court to that same level of responsibility. And, to be an ambassador of the Court to the community at large.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Regarding responsibilities of a Judge, please refer to the answer to the question immediately above.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

This is a political question. My role as a current Temporary Judge, as a current judicial candidate and ultimately as a Judge is not political and I am ethically prohibited from inserting or divulging any personal or political views or opinions when I adjudicate any matter--nor have I ever done so.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

The skills or expertise that I believe are the most helpful for a Superior Court Judge are: The ability to have a non-wavering commitment to strictly adhering to the judicial canons/code of judicial ethics at all times; honesty; integrity; deep knowledge of the law; fairness; patience; an eagerness to continue to learn and keep abreast of the law as it evolves and new laws are passed or new cases are adjudicated; good listening skills; discretion; respect for others; humility; impartiality; awareness of the community and the issues facing the people in those communities; compassion; candor; and the unwavering courage to do what the law requires in every matter that they adjudicate.

In my particular case, I have been a Temporary Judge certified to hear traffic, small claims, family law matters and civil harassment for the past 5 years. These practice areas present challenging, very high-volume calendars where most litigants represent themselves. I have presided over hundreds of arraignments and trials and, as noted by Presiding Judge Smiley, my work as a Temporary Judge ". . .ranks among the best in our County."

In private practice and as my role as in-house counsel for 2 Fortune 100 companies, I was accustomed to routinely and successfully handling a very high case load involving a multiplicity of complex litigation matters and complex business transactions.

All of the aforementioned skills and expertise and my personal skills and expertise are most helpful in being a Judge. I am the only candidate in this judicial race to have accumulated this level of experience and skill.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Please see my website: https://johnsonforacjudge.com

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

This is a political question. My role as a current Temporary Judge, as a current judicial candidate and ultimately as a Judge is not political and I am ethically prohibited from inserting or divulging any personal or political views or opinions when I adjudicate any matter--nor have I ever done so.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Footnotes

California courts

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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