Class of 2007
Prior to enrolling in law school, the Honorable Amy Guerra worked with the AmeriCorps Vista service in west Fresno. She found community work focused on economic development, access to financial institutions, and financial literacy for underserved communities to be very rewarding and it cemented her interest in law. She graduated from SJCL with a Juris Doctor degree in 2007. Her entry into criminal trial work came about “by accident” when she became an associate at the alternate defense law firm of Richard Ciummo and Associates. She was promoted to Chief Defense Attorney there in 2014, and in 2018 was appointed to the Fresno County Superior Court by then Governor Jerry Brown. In 2025 Judge Guerra became a pro tem justice at the Fifth District Court of Appeal. It was an experience she describes as “invaluable, meaningful, and formative”.
In February of 2026, Governor Newsom appointed Judge Guerra to the bench of Fifth District Court of Appeal in Fresno. She was confirmed shortly after by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, joining nine other appellate justices. The appointment earned Judge Guerra the distinction of being the first SJCL graduate to join the 5th District Court of Appeal. Covering a jurisdiction that spans nine counties throughout Central California, the duties of a Justice on the appellate bench are to ensure that trial courts properly interpret the law and use correct procedure during trials.
Judge Guerra’s new position is a perfect fit for someone with her uncanny fortitude. During her studies at SJCL, she had a 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a newborn baby at home. She credits her undergraduate studies in Cultural Anthropology for helping prepare her for this step in her career. Like an anthropologist, an appellate justice must maintain open-mindedness, observation without judgment, and an understanding of diverse perspectives.