Reiser Appointed to Superior Court Bench

Glen Reiser, a civil attorney in Ventura County for 20 years, has been appointed to the Superior Court in a last-minute flurry of judicial appointments by outgoing Gov. Pete Wilson.

Reiser, 45, has practiced with the Ventura firm of Ferguson, Case, Orr, Patterson, & Cunningham. A specialist in land-use and environmental litigation, he has represented a number of developers and business associations.

Reiser has also represented the Ventura County district attorney’s office in lawsuits and has handled personal legal matters for Dist. Atty. Michael Bradbury.

“He’s one of the brightest, most talented lawyers I know,” Bradbury said. “He’s an excellent choice.”

Reiser said his appointment to the bench took him by surprise. He said he first applied for consideration in the early 1990s and has been passed over at least twice.

“It’s always a mystery how someone is appointed to the court,” he said. “I fully expected to be practicing law at least another 20 years.”

A Republican who advocates capital punishment and three-strikes sentencing laws, Reiser will fill the seat vacated by retiring Judge Allan Steele.

He describes himself as “a huge proponent” of property rights and an avid supporter of 1st Amendment and free-press rights.

A graduate of UC Santa Barbara and UCLA law school, Reiser started his legal career in Ventura County with the firm of Nordman, Cormany, Hair & Compton. He has represented, among others, the Calleguas Municipal Water District, GTE California Inc., SP Milling, and the Messenger Investment Co., which is attempting to build the controversial 3,200-unit Hidden Creek subdivision in Moorpark. The divorced father of two young sons, Reiser lives in Camarillo.