Glen Michael Reiser

Judge Glen Reiser (Ret.) has worked with JAMS for more than six years as a trust, probate, and conservatorship mediator. Before becoming a judge, he worked for more than two decades as a trial and appellate litigation attorney, including complex trust and probate matters. (See, e.g. Burch v. George (1994) 7 Cal.4th 246.) As a trial judge for an additional two decades, Judge Reiser exclusively handled trust, probate, and conservatorship cases for the majority of that tenure. Significant cases affirmed from his court include Department of Child Support Services v. Brown (2004) 117 Cal.App.4th 144.; Kasperbauer v. Fairfield (2009) 170 Cal.App.4th 785; Christie v. Kimball (2012) 202 Cal.App.4th 1407; Conservatorship of Moore (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 1101; and Aviles v. Swearingen (2017) 16 Cal.App.5th 485. As a mediator with JAMS, Judge Reiser managed the litigated resolution affirmed in Breslin v. Breslin (2021). 62 Cal.App.5th 801. For many years through 2022, he served as a judicial trainer for all judges in California assigned to hear trust, probate, and conservatorship matters. Judge Reiser now works extensively throughout California settling these legally and financially complex, high emotion, family wealth disputes.

Judge Reiser graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1978. He worked as a prominent trial and appellate lawyer across all civil case types until appointment to the bench in 1998. Beyond trusts, probate, and conservatorships, Judge Reiser managed multiple trial assignments in the Superior Court, including civil trials and motions, criminal trials and motions, and family law. He also worked on the court's Appellate Division. Beyond courtroom responsibilities, Judge Reiser worked for many years with the Judicial Council's Court Technology Advisory Committee and its Center for Judicial Education and Research.

Judge Reiser is a frequent speaker on various trust, probate, and conservatorship matters to local probate bars and estate planning councils across California. He continues to train state court judges upon their request on various matters of substantive and procedural interest, including probate court case management. Judge Reiser has authored a number of topically relevant articles and most recently co-authored "Breslin v. Breslin: Does the Seamless Fabric Need Tailoring?" in the Trusts & Estates Quarterly for The California Lawyers Association.