---
title: "Joan Kathleen Irion | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/joan-kathleen-irion-6452"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-10-07"
---

# Joan Kathleen Irion

California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District · Associate Justice

## Profile

- Court: California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District
- State: California
- Role: Associate Justice
- Service status: former
- Last verified: 2026-06-30

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal, 4th District, 2003-present
- Associate Justice of the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One of the California Court of Appeal, serving from September 2003 until her death on June 20, 2026
- Judge, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, 2000-2003

### Education

- University of California-Davis — J.D. (1979)
- Public Administration — San Diego State University — 1976

### Additional information

- She also held leadership positions on the California Judicial Council, including chairing its Rules Committee from September 2024 Daily Forty-Niner.
- with high honors — University of California-Davis — 1974
- Date of birth: 1956-01-01
- Improving court access for self‐represented litigants
- Countrywide Home Loans, Inc..
- She authored over 130 published opinions, including the highly cited Gomes v.
- Justice Irion was appointed to the Court of Appeal after being unanimously confirmed by the California State Bar Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission.
- Before her appellate role, she held the role of a San Diego County Superior Court Judge.
- Community and youth civics outreach, including high school oral argument sessions and “Meet & Greet” events

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### audiovisual evidence

Scope: statewide

A party offering an electronic sound or sound-and-video recording must provide the court and opposing parties a transcript and provide opposing parties a duplicate of the recording.

Evidence excerpt: the party must provide to the court and to opposing parties a transcript of the electronic recording and provide opposing parties with a duplicate of the electronic recording

[California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### remote proceedings

Scope: statewide

California courts should permit remote participation in covered civil proceedings, subject to the statute, local rules, and controlling orders.

Evidence excerpt: courts should permit parties to appear remotely at conferences, hearings, and proceedings in civil cases consistent with Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75

[California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_672)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### remote participants and witnesses

Scope: statewide

Covered civil parties and witnesses may appear remotely, and the court may conduct proceedings in whole or in part using remote technology.

Evidence excerpt: that party or witness may appear remotely and the court may conduct conferences, hearings, and proceedings, in whole or in part, through the use of remote technology

[California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCP)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### recording and broadcasting

Scope: statewide

Court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast except as Rule 1.150 permits.

Evidence excerpt: Except as provided in this rule, court proceedings may not be photographed, recorded, or broadcast.

[California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### expedited jury trial presentations

Scope: statewide

In expedited jury trials, parties may use slides, electronic presentations, projections, exhibit notebooks, and other methods approved at the pretrial conference.

Evidence excerpt: the parties may present summaries and may use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, individual notebooks of exhibits for submission to the jurors, or other innovative methods of presentation approved at the pretrial conference

[California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1551)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### expedited jury trial pretrial agreements

Scope: statewide

Voluntary expedited jury trial submissions must identify party agreements concerning electronic presentations and other proposed presentation methods.

Evidence excerpt: Any agreements of the parties to use photographs, diagrams, slides, electronic presentations, overhead projections, notebooks of exhibits, or other methods of presenting information to the jury

[California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1548)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### exhibit admission

Scope: statewide

An exhibit must be admitted by the judge before it may be used in the case.

Evidence excerpt: The judge must to allow you to admit the exhibit as evidence in order for you to use it in your case.

[How to introduce exhibits at a trial](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/how-introduce-exhibits-trial)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6452/joan-kathleen-irion/)
- [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6452/joan-kathleen-irion/)
- [California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6452/joan-kathleen-irion/)
- [California Rule 2.1040, Electronic recordings presented or offered into evidence](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/two/rule2_1040)
- [California Rule 3.672, Remote proceedings](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_672)
- [California Code of Civil Procedure section 367.75](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=367.75.&lawCode=CCP)
- [California Rule 1.150, Photographing, recording, and broadcasting in court](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/one/rule1_150)
- [California Rule 3.1551, Case presentation](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1551)
- [California Rule 3.1548, Pretrial submissions for voluntary expedited jury trials](https://courts.ca.gov/cms/rules/index/three/rule3_1548)
- [How to introduce exhibits at a trial](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/how-introduce-exhibits-trial)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6452/joan-kathleen-irion/)
- [appellate.courts.ca.gov](https://appellate.courts.ca.gov/district-courts/4dca/news-announcements?page=0)
- [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/6452/joan-kathleen-irion/)

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