Ruth Bermudez Montenegro at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Court
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- Jurisdiction
- California · Federal
- Judicial service
- March 30, 2022–present
Ruth Bermudez Montenegro
Judge · U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Available research
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Biography
Professional career
- Professional Career: Director of human resources and counsel, Imperial [California] Community College District, 2000-2002
- Professional Career: Deputy county counsel, Imperial County, California, 2000
- Professional Career: Private practice, El Centro, California, 1993-2000
- Professional Career: Assistant county counsel, Imperial County, California, 2011-2012
- Professional Career: Assistant superintendent, human resources/administrative services and counsel, El Centro [California] Elementary School District, 2002-2011
- Professional Career: Family support commissioner, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, 2013-2015
- Assistant County Counsel, Imperial County, CA, 2011-2012
- Assistant Superintendent, El Centro Elementary School District, El Centro, CA, 2002-2011
- Director of Human Resources, Imperial County Community College District, CA, 2000-2002
- Practitioner, Horton, Knox, Carter and Foote LLP, 1993-2000
Judicial service
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, CA, 2012-2013
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, 2015-2018
- Magistrate, District Court, S.D. California, CA, 2018-2022
- Judge, District Court, S.D. California, CA, 2022-present
- Professional Career: Judge, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, 2012-2013, 2015-2018
Education
- Clarion University of Pennsylvania · summa cum laude, 1989
- University of California-Los Angeles · JD, 1992
- San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus · with honors, 1987
- University of Pennsylvania · B.A., 1989
- University of California · J.D., 1992
- Imperial Valley College · 1987
- PennWest Clarion
Personal record
Born 1967 · Brawley, CA
Courtroom rules and guidance
Civil Remote Testimony
In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards.
For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location.Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court ↗
Criminal Recording And Broadcasting
Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception.
Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom.Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited ↗
Sources
Federal Judicial Center biography
Identity source · HTML · checked August 16, 2026
https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges.aspxCourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · checked August 2, 2026
https://www.courtlistener.com/person/9110/ruth-bermudez-montenegro/Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedureFederal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited
Judge research source · HTML · checked July 26, 2026
https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts