Hon. Victoria Wood (Ret.) is a retired Judge of the Napa County Superior Court where she served her community with dedication for nearly two decades. Judge Wood's judicial tenure was marked by versatility, as she has presided over a wide range of cases in various assignments, including civil, probate and family law. Her responsibilities extended to overseeing complex jury trials, appeals, and high-conflict mediations. She also held diverse and impactful roles in court leadership, including serving as the Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division, Assistant Presiding Judge of the Court, and as Lead Judge for the Civil, Juvenile, and Family Law Divisions.
For three years, Judge Wood played a crucial role as the judicial liaison to the Napa County Civil Grand Jury, where she supervised recruitment, investigation, and reporting efforts. Her expertise and dedication to legal education and research is further evident in her 18-year service on the Napa County Law Library Board of Trustees, where she recently served as the immediate past president.
Prior to her appointment to the superior court bench, Judge Wood's contributions to the Court included close to five years as Court Commissioner, where she presided over a family law calendar that included dissolution and child custody matters, as well as restraining orders, child support and small claims cases, in addition to criminal matters. She also worked for nearly a decade as court counsel, performing the legal research and writing for tentative rulings, orders, and opinions for civil law and motion, probate, and Appellate Division matters. In addition to her time at the superior court, Judge Wood also gained valuable experience working as a chambers attorney for Justice Wes Walker at the First District Court of Appeal, and in private practice.
Judge Wood received a B.S. in Sociology and a B.A. in Spanish from Pacific Union College, graduating magna cum laude. She received her J.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Law, where she will be teaching an Alternative Dispute Resolution Class in the Fall of 2024.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Business / Commercial Contracts
- Employment / Wage & Hour
- Environmental
- Family Law
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- Probate, Estates & Trusts
- Real Estate / Real Property
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Napa 2017-2024
- Presided over all types of civil, probate, family, criminal and juvenile matters, including complex jury trials, appeals and high conflict mediations in family, civil and probate matters.
- Assistant Presiding Judge of the Napa Court (2022-2023).
- Lead Judge of the Family Law Division (2022-2023).
- Lead Judge of the Juvenile Division (2022-2023).
- Lead Judge of the Appellate Division (2019-2021).
- Lead Judge of the Civil Division (2018-2021).
- Panel Judge for the Appellate Division (2018-2024).
- Judicial Liaison to the Napa County Grand Jury (2018-2021).
Commissioner, Superior Court of California, County of Napa 2013-2017
- Presided over a family law calendar that included dissolution and child custody matters, restraining orders, child support, small claims, juvenile delinquency, juvenile traffic, truancy, juvenile dependency, and emergency protective orders (2015-2017).
- Presided over a criminal calendar that included misdemeanor arraignments, settlement conferences, judicial interventions, pre-trial motions, probation revocation hearings, drug court and adult traffic court (2013-2014).
Court Counsel, Superior Court of California, County of Napa 2004-2013
- Researched and wrote tentative rulings and orders for civil law and motion and probate.
- Drafted all of the opinions for the court’s appellate division, with a published decision.
- Fielded legal questions involving all areas of law and administration of the court.
- Served as a Riese hearing officer (2006-2008) and judge pro tem (2008-2013).
Attorney, Hanna, Brophy, MacLean, McAleer & Jensen, San Francisco 1998-2000; 2002-2004
- Contract Attorney: Researched and consulted with managing partner on novel labor law and civil law issues. Drafted motions, trial briefs and appeals for managing partner (2002-2004).
- Associate Attorney: Managed caseload, planned legal strategies, advised clients, took depositions, appeared in administrative law hearings, argued law and motion and negotiated settlements. Managed firm’s law library (1998-2000)
Chambers Attorney, 1st District Court of Appeal, San Francisco 2001
- Drafted appellate opinions based upon legal research, as well as review and analysis of legal briefs and appellate record in all legal areas, with four published decisions.
- Advised and conferred with appellate justices on novel legal issues/splits of decision.
Associate Attorney, Harbinson, Carlson & Tune, San Francisco 1997-1998
- Researched legal issues and consulted with clients and law partners.
- Drafted client letters, legal memoranda, motions, trial briefs, petitions for reconsideration and petitions for review.
MEDIATION & ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE
- Mediator, Arbitrator, Referee, ADR Services, Inc., 2024-Present
- Mediator, San Francisco Superior Court Probate Pro Bono Mediation Panel, 2024-Present
EDUCATION
- Pepperdine University School of Law, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution: “Mediating the Litigated Case” 2024
- J.D., University of California, Davis, School of Law 1997
- Pepperdine University School of Law
- B.S. in Sociology and B.A. in Spanish, magna cum laude, Pacific Union College 1994
LEGAL ASSOCIATIONS AND LEADERSHIP
- Member, The Richard M. Sangster Inn of Court, 2023-Present.
- Member, National Association of Women Judges, 2023-Present.
- Member, Rules Subcommittee of the Trial Court Presiding Judge Advisory Comm., 2022-2023.
- Liaison, Judicial Council Appellate Advisory Committee, 2022-2023.
- Member, Napa County Juvenile Justice Commission, 2022-2023.
- Board Member and Past President, Napa County Law Library Board of Trustees, 2005-Present.
- Member, Napa County Bar Association, 2005-Present.
- Member and Past Treasurer, Napa County Women Lawyers, 2005-Present.
- Team Coach and Presiding Judge, Napa County Mock Trial Program, 2015-2020.
- Attorney Mentor and Presiding Judge, Napa County Peer Court Program, 2009-2020.
- Advisory Board Member, Napa Valley Education Foundation, 2017-2018.
- Member, Napa County Catalyst Coalition, 2016-2017.