Hon. Michael A. Caves

Judge Michael Caves presides over civil and criminal cases at all stages of litigation, including trial, in Kern County. He was a licensed attorney and a fulltime criminal prosecutor in California for over 15 years before he became a Judge on the Superior Court of California. Prior to becoming an attorney, Judge Caves served on active duty in the U.S. Army for five years as an intelligence interceptor and analyst. He served overseas for over a year after 9/11, and is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Judge Caves has a Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Communication; J.D.; LL.M; a Master of Public Administration; a Master of Arts in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding; and a BA in Communication.

Since 2009, Judge Caves has taught and designed graduate and undergraduate courses in subjects related to ethics, law, criminal prosecution, intellectual property, politics, mediation, negotiation, and public policy. These courses have had recent teaching appointments through both the California State University system and the University of California system. Judge Caves has written eight books, and has been published over 35 times in academic, literary, and research journals.

Judge Caves is a member of a number of academic honor societies, including Golden Key International Honour society, Pi Gamma Mu, Phi Theta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Delta Phi, and Omicron Delta Kappa, among others. In 2024, Judge Caves was named to the Fulbright Specialist roster in law by the U.S. Department of State.